


Runway

by Little_Miss_Bunny



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Angst and Feels, BAMF Sawada Tsunayoshi, Drama, Everyone Loves Tsuna, F/M, Fashion & Couture, Fashion Designer Tsuna, Fashion Stylist Haru, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Modeling, Multi, Out of Character, Romance, Sarcastic Tsuna, Sassy Tsuna, Tsuna is Not Dame, Tsuna is So Done, so much sass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-06-09 10:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 39,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15265854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Miss_Bunny/pseuds/Little_Miss_Bunny
Summary: Tsuna was fine with not achieving much in his life. He was pretty well off, thank you very much. Well, until Haru forgot some of her work at his place. Tsuna really didn't want to be under the spotlight. He really didn't.Cross-posted from FF.





	1. Chapter 1

_“Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.”_ – Bill Cunningham

* * *

There was no such thing as wasted space. Everything mattered and served a purpose. It all depended on the kind of eye you had. Perspective was subjective. No one could really walk a straight line, could they?

Soft bass played in the background, filling the hushed silence. Tsuna laid on his pale couch with his eyes closed and hands laced together over his chest. His finger tapped languidly to the beat of the music. The lyrics simply went through one ear and out the other. Natsu, his orange tabby cat, was curled on his stomach, a heavy but comforting weight. The tall, light gray window drapes were closed, preventing Tsuna from knowing what time of day it was. As long as it blocked out the sun, he was fine with it.

Nothing and everything swirled in his head; senseless words and imagery flowed with no clear purpose. Maybe it was a bad thing to idle his life away like this.

Nah.

Tsuna was pretty content with his life. All he needed was Natsu and of course, his precious Sugar Angels’ figurine collection (limited editions included). Soon, he found himself humming their cheery theme song. Ah, Kyoko had looked nice in the original glittery pink dress until the creators changed it into some fluffy monstrosity in the last season. The same went for Bluebell and Yuni. Really unfortunate—if only the designer had held off on the stupid sequins. Their powers were sparkly enough or maybe the lighting director slacked off. Either way, they bombed.

A small beep came from his door before it flung open. There was a large rustling of bags and someone panting hard at the entrance.

“Tsuna! Help me!" 

Sighing, Tsuna sat up from the couch and headed over to help Haru. Natsu hopped to the other side of the couch. Tsuna shuffled to the doorway while rubbing the back of his head. “Hey,” he said, picking up Haru’s shopping bags. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Haru said, going back out in the hall and returning with a box. “I’m going to bring out the mannequins.”

“Since when did you start asking?” Tsuna said. He dumped the shopping bags by the couch and entered the kitchen to get the coffee machine going. “Did the heat get to you already?” 

Haru rolled her eyes, dabbing her forehead with a blue handkerchief. “Ha, ha, funny. It’s literally boiling outside. I could probably fry steak on the sidewalk.” 

“Terrifying.” Tsuna poured ice and water into a cup before handing it to his dear best friend of too many years. “Another gig?” 

Haru downed the cup in three large gulps. Tsuna winced when she slammed it on the bar counter; the ice clinked sharply against the glass. “You’re a lifesaver,” she said, sagging on a bar stool. “Can I get a refill, good sir?” 

“Remember to give me a generous tip,” Tsuna said, pouring her another glass of water. 

Haru rolled her eyes. “You don’t need tips.” 

“I’m going to apologize and retract that statement.” 

“You’re basically one of the richest shut-ins in Japan.” 

“Did I mention that I apologized?”

Haru glanced at his precious collection of Sugar Angels’ figurines. She clucked her tongue a few times. “Wasting your money on those plastic dolls. You’re just a creep.” 

Tsuna gave her a mock-gasp, feigning a scandalous look. “You did not just insult my dear Kyoko-chan.” 

Haru snorted. “Plastic is plastic, Tsuna.” 

Tsuna dashed over to stroke one of the glass displays with a pout. It was a figure of Kyoko in her old (and better) magical dress posing with a V-sign and holding her heart wand. “It’s okay, Kyoko-chan,” he said soothingly. “I know you’re tough.” He glared at Haru. “She’s just jealous. Who wears purple and green like that? You look like Barney. I’m surprised you didn’t get fired.”

Gulping down her drink, Haru scoffed and wiped her mouth. “I wasn’t the one up all night watching soap operas. I _told_ you I had to wake up early.”

Tsuna clicked his tongue. “Excuses. My house, my place—if you don’t like it, I’m sure there are other apartments open around here, but I prefer to keep some distance for Kyoko-chan’s sake. We don’t take to heathens very well, especially ones who dress like child-eating dinosaurs.”

Haru rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything. This was basically routine for them. She rummaged through her shopping bags as Tsuna plopped down on the couch and welcomed Natsu back in his arms. A nauseating scent of sweet perfume wafted in the air, making Tsuna wrinkle his nose. “Nice party you got down there,” he said. “Did you buy whole cabinets of them?”

“I still have some air freshener left,” Haru said, standing up and smoothing her purple shorts.

Tsuna moved to lay his head against the armrest and made himself comfortable. “I’m sick of the White Peach one. Do you have Aqua Blue?" 

“I don’t know. I’ll check.”

“Mannequins still has clothes on,” Tsuna said, closing his eyes. Natsu purred in content as he stroked his fur.

Haru disappeared in one of the five rooms of the apartment where all her tools were. Well, there were two other rooms with her stuff. Tsuna really only had his bedroom, even if he owned the penthouse but he wasn’t counting. Nope. It was the thought that mattered, or so people said. 

The pitter-patter of Haru’s feet went back and forth to the living room and her supply room. Tsuna hummed the Sugar Angels theme song under his breath, petting Natsu who dozed off on his stomach again. 

“Are you sleeping again?”

Tsuna sighed but still kept his eyes closed. Still, he could sense Haru standing above him, probably with her hands on her hip. Wow, that image was just permanent in his head. Never a good thing. 

“I’m just closing my eyes, dear Haru,” he said. 

“Which will then lead you to fall asleep.” 

He shrugged a little. “It happens.” His lips slightly twitched upwards. “Can you blame me?”

“It’s 5:30, Tsuna.” 

“Really?” Tsuna drawled. “Thank you for that lovely bit of information. I’m certain the world is still revolving around as it should be though.” He jumped when something was thrown at his face. Natsu immediately jumped from his stomach, making him grunt. When Tsuna reached up to remove the fabric, he raised a brow when he saw that it was a pair of high waist shorts. He hummed. “I don’t think this’ll work for you.” He stretched it out and glanced at Haru who was arranging five mannequins in the middle of the spacious living room. “Yup, definitely not.” 

He snickered when Haru snatched the pants away from him. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “You might as well make yourself useful. Help me arrange this.” 

“I am being helpful,” Tsuna said, reaching out for Natsu. “I’m cheering you on spiritually and mentally.” 

Haru gave him an unimpressed look. 

“Okay, spiritually.” 

She wasn’t swayed in the slightest. Tsuna sighed dramatically and put on a good show of heaving himself up to sit straight. Natsu rubbed his face against Tsuna’s chest, purring lowly. Tsuna rested his head against the cat’s and looked straight into his green eyes. “Only you are on my side, friend,” he said.

“Quit the dramatics, Tsuna,” Haru said, shifting through her own bag. “I’m being serious. If I screw this up, my career’s finished.”

Tsuna rolled his eyes. “And you call _me_ a drama queen.”

Haru smiled. “Your words, not mine.” 

Tsuna smiled back despite himself. He looked over the shopping bags stamped with designer labels and local store logos. “Yours or theirs?” 

Haru flipped through her sketchbook. She honestly looked exhausted. Tsuna may be blunt but he wasn’t heartless (to an extent). Besides, Haru was his friend for too many years and he really did wish her a lot of happiness. Hence, offering her his place to stay in and a bunch of other things he lost count of. His father’s last gift was _pretty_ hefty.

“This is all theirs,” she said, dumping all the clothes on the wooden floor. “Well, most of them. Did I ever tell you that Higashi-san’s the most unpleasant person to work with?”

“Ah, right. The despicable witch you mention, like what, a million times a day.”

Haru huffed a small laugh. “And still counting. These are her clothes. We’re preparing them for a potential client.” She pouted. “But my wallet’s all starved now. I had to buy some last minute accessories.” 

Tsuna raised a brow. “Last minute?” He flicked one of the shopping bag’s handles. “These look pretty hefty for last minute.” 

“I don’t think Higashi-san is going to reimburse me.” 

“You’re only an assistant,” Tsuna said, letting his feet rest on the floor. Natsu shifted on his lap for a more comfortable position. “I still don’t get why she doesn’t do that. You know, I could pay your card.” 

Haru deadpanned. “I’d rather remind myself that I’m a productive member of society than leech off some dirty money.” 

Tsuna mock-gasped. “You wound me. My money isn’t dirty.” 

“When was the last time you took a shower?”

Tsuna tapped his chin thoughtfully for show. “I’d rather not say.” 

“Good. I don’t want to know.” Haru pulled some more files out of her bag, which were all labeled with large Sharpie letters. She suddenly hopped over to him and grinned. “It doesn’t matter ‘cause this is a big one. I think I have a shot of leaving Higashi-san for good.” 

Leaning his chin on his palm, Tsuna tucked an idle strand of hair behind Haru’s ear. “Do tell.” 

He didn’t flinch when Haru smacked his leg. She scowled, scrunching her nose. “I’m serious, Tsuna. Guess who our client is! Guess!” 

“I don’t know if I want to put in the effort.” 

“Just _guess_.” 

“Okay, okay. Hmm, Yamamoto Takeshi.” 

“I wish but no.” 

“Huh, you know, he actually looks really nice in a suit. Although, that tie was ugly. Should’ve gone with a blue undertone.” 

“I know, right? He should definitely model more. His height—My God, his _height_. It’s a crime to be that tall. I think he’s taller than Mukuro by a few centimeters.”

Tsuna patted Haru’s head. “Now, now, don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Haru nodded. “Think bigger.” 

Tsuna didn’t really care too much about models or the fashion industry. While that didn’t mean he was out of the loop on the world’s current state of affairs, he just…didn’t really care about a lot of things. Huh, maybe Haru was right in calling him a bum. 

“Is it that guy?” 

Haru raised a brow. “That guy? I need a name.” 

“That guy you like, that guy with the curly sideburns, that guy who’s probably a serial killer.”

Tsuna laughed when Haru smacked him again. “He’s _not_ a serial killer!” she said. 

“Oh, Reborn’s definitely something and serial killer’s one of them. That noir-esque photoshoot he did a few years back.” Tsuna tapped the side of his head. “He’s shot a gun before.” 

Haru huffed in exasperation. “Just because he held a gun doesn’t mean he knows how to _shoot_ it. He had experts to coach him how to hold it.”

Tsuna continued on as if Haru didn’t interrupt him. “Although, I’ll give them points for the realism. He still looked too pretty but I’ll let it slide. And I think his sideburns are fake. They’re a nice touch but fake.” 

Haru scoffed. “He’s just naturally handsome that way and his sideburns aren’t fake. You’re just jealous.” 

“I’m not jealous, I’m just stating facts.”

"You’re an idiot.”

Tsuna pouted. “But I’m your adorable and lovable idiot.”

Haru just sighed and rested her forehead on Tsuna’s knee. Her sweaty black hair was still messy from the heat outside and had grown out to her shoulders in the past few months; but Tsuna didn’t move her. “I’ll give you one more chance,” she said. 

“I don’t know,” Tsuna said. “Higashi doesn’t really have an impressive client list.” 

“You know, for someone who supposedly hates all the dazzles of the so-called toxic industry, you’re on top of these things.” 

Tsuna feigned shock. “Who? _Me_? Oh no. You just talk a lot. I listen, even if you don’t think I do.” 

Haru chuckled. “Yeah, right. Anyways, come on. Give it one more shot.” 

“Alright, alright. Bianchi. She looks good with long hair. Should wear more pink honestly. Maybe lavender.” 

Haru made a buzzer sound. “Wrong.” She perked up with a grin. “It’s M.M!” 

“Oh, which one: the red one or the yellow one? I prefer the yellow one. He has heart.”

Haru rolled her eyes. “Not the candy, the model! M.M! Madeline Moret!”

Tsuna grabbed his phone from the side table and unlocked the screen. “Boring. Wait, do we have M&M’s?” He patted his stomach. After a small breakfast that only consisted of breathing in oxygen, he was a pretty hungry camper. “I want some.” 

“No, we don’t,” Haru said, keeping him anchored to the sofa. “But this is really big, Tsuna! M.M—she can be the next step for me! And she’s really nice—well, we didn’t meet yet but she seems nice.”

Tsuna opened up his Sugar Angels Bubble Pop game. “No offense to your boss but why would a hotshot model like M.M hire her?”

Haru giggled, sounded just a tad too creepy. “She got lucky. Higashi-san works for Asagao Magazine and you know how M.M is. She wants to try on all their designer’s clothes and Higashi-san works with one of them. See where I’m going with this?” 

Tsuna pressed the “Start” button on the main menu. The screen dissolved into sparkly hearts, seashells, and clouds. “Perfectly. My eyes are on the road.” 

“If we— _I_ —manage to give a good impression, this could change my life! I can leave the witch and finally get somewhere!” 

Pink heart with pink hearts, blue seashell with blue seashells—Tsuna was on a roll. “M.M isn’t nice. She’s one of the most difficult models to work with. Actually, scratch that— _the_ most difficult model. Heard she left a show midway last year.” 

Haru huffed. “That’s not the point.” 

“It kind of is. What’ll you do if you can’t sway her?” 

“Well, I’ll just keep searching for other stylists to work under. Higashi-san isn’t the only one in Tokyo.” 

Oh, this was a tough one. Tsuna angled a shimmering rainbow orb just a little bit more to the right. “True, true.” He glanced at Haru who clasped her hands together in prayer. “But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you really, really, really want to go through with it.”

Haru nodded rapidly. “Please, Tsuna?” 

 _“With the power of the sea, you go splat!”_ the Bluebell sprite said as Tsuna pulled off a max combo. 

“Isn’t Bluebell adorable?” he said, cooing at the blue-haired magical girl.

“Tsuna.” 

“Right, right.” He exited the game and tossed his phone aside. “What do you need again?” 

“Your undeniably amazing talent.”

Tsuna’s lips slightly twitched. “Flattery gets you nowhere, dear Haru. _But_ since you’re my friend”—he ignored Haru’s retort of, “ _Only_ friend”—“I’ll do whatever makes you happy.” 

Haru sprung up onto her feet and pumped a fist in the air. “Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Okay, so Higashi-san gave me these clothes and said to pick 20 different outfits.” She pushed the box next to Tsuna’s feet and opened it. Tsuna smiled when he saw life returning to Haru’s eyes. He could honestly never tell her no, not when she had stuck by his side for as long as he could remember. Friends helped friends; it was as simple as that and Tsuna liked simple. “She gave me a list of which ones would go with which but said that I could customize one or two if I wanted.”

“I think she got lazy,” Tsuna said, picking up a yellow sundress. He pursed his lips. “Is she seriously going to have her wear _yellow_? Ugh.” He tossed it aside. “Higashi has good sense but can’t make small talk for her life."

Haru shifted through the colorful clothes, shoes, and accessories, looking back and forth from her list. “That’s my boss you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I supposed to call her an angel?”

“No. You may continue.”

Tsuna grinned crookedly. “Why, thank you.” He grabbed some bobby pins from Haru’s bag and untied her hair. “So what am I supposed to do?” 

“Just tell me what you think,” Haru said, moving closer to the sofa. “You know that lace dress you fixed up before?” 

Tsuna wounded up Haru’s hair on top of her head and secured the bottom with some pins. “I don’t recall.” 

“Chinami-san really liked it.” Haru petted Natsu’s head when he pounced to the ground, careful not to ruin the clothes. He really was a smart and sweet cat. “She actually bought it from us after the shoot. Of course, Higashi-san gave it to her for free but it was the thought that counts.” 

“Did you get promoted?”

“Um, no.” 

“Then that means nothing to me.” Tsuna patted Haru’s neat bun and stood up to stretch his legs. “So are we starting?”

Haru clapped her hands. “Yes!”

* * *

Haru didn’t sleep until 2 AM. Tsuna followed suit a few hours later after catching up with some soap operas and beating his high score in Sugar Angels Bubble Pop. 

He didn’t know what time it was when he woke up but his back ached from sleeping on the couch yet again. The blanket he had placed over Haru before now rested over him snugly. Huffing a laugh, he rolled over and turned on the Bluetooth speakers near his TV. Soft bass with strings soon flowed in the air. Kalon, whoever he was, was a really good singer. 

Stretching his arms in the air, Tsuna stood up from the couch and headed to the kitchen to get some juice—he hoped he had juice; if he didn’t, he’d flip—when his phone rang. He opened the fridge, frowning when he only found some milk, yogurts, and strawberries. Grocery shopping hadn’t really come up on his priorities list since Haru took care of that herself but that wasn’t a really good way to go about living, was it?

 

“I’m coming,” he said to no one, returning to the couch. Without looking at the caller ID, he picked up his phone. “God’s right hand man speaking, who’s calling?” 

“Tsuna!” Haru’s panicked voice spoke through the line. “Is there a bag anywhere? Near the door or something?”

“Specify ‘bag’.” 

“It’s the—the—the red one! With the tiara logo!” 

Tsuna glanced at the entrance and lo behold, there was a red shopping bag toppled over. He walked over to pick it up. Peeking inside, he raised a brow when he saw that it was one of the custom outfits Haru assembled. “It’s here,” he said. “Do you want me to leave it with Shirasu?” 

“I don’t have the time to—Hey, watch where you’re going, mister! Ah, geez.” There were some garbled noises in the background, which sounded like cars, and people chattering in muddled words. “Is it okay? Okay, good. Ah, Tsuna, I’m really busy right now and I can’t drive back to your place so can you please bring it over? M.M’s coming at 2. _Please_?” 

Tsuna glanced at the clock. “That’s in 20 minutes.” 

“ _What_? Shit! Please, Tsuna! I’ll buy you some of those plastic dolls or whatever! My career—think about my career!” 

“Haru, Haru, Haru. Take a deep breath.” Haru inhaled sharply on the other line. “Now exhale. Good, you’re still alive. Keep living. I’d be sad if you went up to paradise without me.” 

“Tsuna.” 

The brunet hummed under his breath as he grabbed his car keys from a hook on the wall. “Present.” 

“I’m being serious.”

“Oh, I know.” Tsuna grinned when Natsu bounded towards him with a pair of white socks in his mouth. “Good boy,” he said, petting the cat’s head. “I’ll be in and out before you know it. Where do I meet you?” 

“Wait, you’re serious?” 

Tsuna sighed dramatically, slipping on some black Adidas slippers. “I’m _this_ close to changing my mind.” 

“Oh, shut up.” 

“I love you, too.” 

“I’ll text you. I really have to go. Thank you, Tsuna. Really.”

“Give me some credit. I’m rejoining civilization today." 

Haru scoffed but Tsuna could sense the smile in her voice. “Yeah, congrats. See you soon, okay? Be careful.” 

Tsuna grabbed his sunglasses to slip them on. “I’m _always_ careful.” 

Haru snorted. “Yeah. See ya.”

After she hung up, Tsuna crouched to pet Natsu’s head. “Some people should be a tad more grateful, huh, Natsu,” he said. Checking that he had all he needed, Tsuna stood up to open the door. “I won’t be long!” he sang. “Don’t miss me too much!”

When he stepped out of his apartment for the first time in days—probably weeks but he wasn’t counting—Tsuna suppressed the dread in his stomach, ignored his screaming guts, and headed for the elevator.

 _Rejoining civilization indeed_ , he thought with a bitter smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It got wild in the group chat and this was born. I have no regrets. :^)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	2. Chapter 2

_“People will stare. Make it worth their while.”_ – Harry Winston

* * *

It took 7 minutes for Tsuna to actually get inside his car. It took 2 minutes for his elevator to reach the lobby. He lived on the top floor in the 23-story building so that was expected. When he stepped out of the elevator, the faint scent of cherry blossoms wafted in his nose. The lobby was empty aside from the two workers at the front desk.

Shirasu, one of the secretaries, perked up when he saw Tsuna walk by. He was a young man, just a year younger than him, with tidy black hair and glasses. “Kato-san, you’re alive!” 

His co-worker, a young woman with straight black hair and dainty lips, looked at him in horror, making Tsuna stifle a chuckle. She was definitely new. He waved casually at Shirasu and leaned against the dark marble counter. “Alive and kicking,” he said, smiling. “Did you miss me, Shira-kun?” 

Shirasu flushed. “Well, um, I couldn’t help but worry. I haven’t seen you around for a couple of weeks.”

“I’m a busy man,” Tsuna said, nodding sagely as if that explained everything. He smiled at the new worker who only looked on with confusion. “And may I ask who this fair maiden is?”

Red immediately dusted her cheeks. “I—My name is Koizumi Tomoko! I just started last week.”

“Kato Tsunayoshi,” Tsuna said, tipping his white cap. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Koizumi-san. You have very pretty lips.” 

Tomoko pressed her fingers against them, turning even redder and looking anywhere but him. “Oh, um, thank you, Kato-san.”

“I think you’ll look lovely in pale gold with a nice touch of lip gloss. Your lips really are exquisite.” Tsuna smiled innocently as Tomoko sputtered out another thanks under her breath. “I’d love to chat more but I have an errand to run.” 

“An errand?” Shirasu said, trying to maintain a professional tone. Though he somewhat knew Tsuna the longest among the employees, he had no information on the brunet and Tsuna would rather keep it that way. He stayed out of people’s business so that they’d stay out of his. Laying low was a staple of his breezy life. “Will you be gone for long, Kato-san?” 

Tsuna waved him off casually. “No need to keep count, Shira-kun. I won’t disappear. Just a little bump in my schedule. I’ll see you two soon. It was a pleasure meeting you, Koizumi-san! Take care of the fort, Shira-kun, alright?” 

Tomoko’s stuttering goodbye and Shirasu’s bright farewell had Tsuna smiling to himself as he left the apartment building. He headed for the garage where his (barely used) car was with some others. It was nice to see that there were people contributing to society. Technically, he was, too. By returning Haru’s work to her, she’d be able to dress her model, do her thing, and get a promotion in some way to help corporations promote whatever they wanted and stimulate the economy. Tsuna was more like the guy in the shadows that only came out when he wanted to (or needed in this case), which was rare, too.

After inputting the address Haru sent him into his car’s GPS, Tsuna made himself comfortable. He placed Haru’s bag in the passenger seat and turned on the ignition. The car had been a gift from his grandfather after he graduated high school. Fastening his seatbelt, Tsuna turned on the engine and sped out of the garage. 

It’d take twenty minutes to actually get there but he could cut that by ten or so. He turned on the radio, pressed the CD button, and hummed happily to Sugar Angels’ theme song.

* * *

If there was something (else) Tsuna was good at, it was avoiding traffic. He’d take streets that didn’t exist on the map—the GPS was really just to mark the place, not guide him, thank you—and avoid highways like the plague in favor of local roads. Nothing really changed in Tokyo since he last went out. Honestly, he left his apartment a few weeks ago to buy some snacks from the convenience store a few blocks down that would take a day or two if he ordered online and he wasn’t exactly the most patient person in the world.

The last time he legitimately went out into the city was four months ago to pick up Haru after she was left behind by Higashi at a show venue. Needless to say, Tsuna bought plenty of ice cream that night.

Asagao Magazine had a fairly tall and sleek building with the logo at the top. A morning glory petal dotted the “i”. Several pedestrians walked the streets with a few tourists taking pictures in front of the building. Known for its chic style and decent advertisements, Asagao Magazine was pretty popular in Japan, highlighting mostly new and fresh models. For it to somehow get a hold on M.M was actually impressive since the French model rarely worked for magazines that weren’t well-known internationally. 

Tsuna drove around to the back entrance where Haru was waiting for him, pacing back and forth anxiously. He honked the horn, catching her attention immediately, and swerved his car around quickly to park by the sidewalk. 

Haru dashed over and tapped incessantly on the window before Tsuna rolled it down. “Tsuna!” she said, grabbing the bag. “Oh, my God! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! I really owe you!”

Tsuna smiled slightly. Haru was wearing the outfit he had designed for her as a small gift when she got her first job: a breezy olive green jumper with a red camellia sewn on the bottom over a light tan-striped shirt. “No problem. Just in a day’s work is all. Go back. You have 6 minutes.”

Haru shifted through the bag and breathed out a sigh in relief. “Everything’s here. I gotta go, Tsuna. I’ll text you! Drive safe!” 

“Got it, captain,” Tsuna said. He waited until Haru returned inside the building before driving out to the front.

He hummed along to Yuni’s theme as he drove through the streets when something _very_ interesting caught his eye. Immediately, he stepped on the brakes, causing the tires to screech. In a small comics store, there was a hefty display of anime figurines and keychains, but Tsuna’s eyes zeroed in on one figure in particular: Bluebell posing morosely with a hand on her flowing blue hair and wearing a long white robe. It was her during the Rogue Arc and Tsuna had only seen that once while he was internet shopping, sold out before he could blink.

He tipped his sunglasses down with a small smirk. “Guess today’s my lucky day,” he said, driving closer. The figurine looked to be in good condition, too. Now, the price— _oh_ , ¥11,262.10. That wasn’t bad. Materials looked legitimate and Tsuna had been itching to get more Bluebell figurines. Wait, did he even bring his card?

Before he could pat his shorts to check, his phone rang. He raised a brow when he saw that it was Haru. “Done already?” he said, picking up the call. “I’m not even—Haru?” 

There was some sniffles from the other line combined with faint murmurs in the background. Tsuna parked his car, not even blinking when someone honked their horn behind him. He didn’t even glance when the car drove past him in an angry rush. “I’m not dead if that’s what you’re wondering,” he said lightly. 

“Can—Can you come back?” Haru said, sobbing. “I—I—My—I don’t think I can drive home.” 

“Haru, what’s wrong?”

“I just—It wasn’t my fault, okay? I got the bag, your brought it, but Higashi-san—Higashi-san said I was late and missing stuff. She…fired me.” 

“I’m heading back now.” Tsuna turned the car around sharply. “Save your breath so you don’t choke. Want anything, sweetheart?” 

Haru made a sound that was between a gag and a cough. “I told you…to never call me that, you creep.” 

Tsuna smiled slightly, speeding past a yellow light. “I’m still offering.” 

Haru sniffled again. “…the chocolate cake Frappuccino with matcha…” 

“Duly noted, captain.”

* * *

Tsuna, thankfully, had his card with him. He adjusted his cap, leaving his sunglasses on, as he left his parked car and headed to the back entrance of Asagao Magazine’s building. A few people looked at him strangely but he didn’t pay them any mind. After he entered through the glass door, the cool, air-conditioned air hit him right in the face.

The paper Starbucks bag rustled in the quiet and narrow stairwell. He climbed a few more steps before reaching another door that led to a hallway of elevators.

“Excuse me, sir!” a worker said from the front desk, standing up. “You’re not allowed to enter without a guest pass!”

Tsuna grinned innocently. “I’ll only be up for a few minutes, ma’am.” He raised the drink tray and the bag. “It’s for a Higashi Yoshike. I’ll be in and out before you know it.” 

Before the woman could answer, the elevator dinged open and Tsuna stepped inside with a cheery wave. He pressed the button for the 14th floor. However, as soon as the doors were about to close, a rush of footsteps suddenly drew closer. A hand immediately stopped the doors from closing shut. Tsuna stepped to the side when a tall, suited man entered the elevator, holding a pink bag of shoes. He gave him a friendly smile. “In a rush?” Tsuna said.

The man had spiked out, slick black hair and two dark tattoo lines on his right cheek. he looked pretty worn out, with dark circles underneath his sharp eyes. Despite that, he straightened himself, giving Tsuna some respectable distance. The brunet didn’t miss the way the man eyed him oddly. “I’m not sure if I can really say,” he said, clearing his throat.

Tsuna smiled slightly as the doors closed. He knew who the man was. He’d seen him on some old magazine covers and shows: Lancia Bellandi, a former model from Italy. Now he was a manager and mentor for fashion models, one of them being M.M. 

“No problem,” Tsuna said. “I didn’t expect an answer. I like hearing myself talk.” 

Some tension eased away from Lancia’s broad shoulders. “I see,” he said, not meeting Tsuna’s gaze. He blinked when he realized that they were heading for the same floor but didn’t comment on it. “Do you work here?” 

“I’m just a lackey.” Tsuna gave Lancia a small grin. “No one you should be concerned about.” 

Before Lancia could respond, the elevator stopped with a small ding. The doors opened, making a small hiss. Some cool air breezed inside the elevator. Tsuna smiled at Lancia while he stepped out. “Good luck,” he said, leaving the stunned man behind. 

Whistling, Tsuna walked down the long white halls in an even pace. Strong rays of sunlight filtered through the tall glass windows overlooking the city. Honestly, there was a limit to how much light you let in a room. 

Haru was nowhere to be seen but Tsuna had an internal radar out for her. Plus, they’d been friends long enough to know each other’s habits and deepest, darkest secrets so that helped. He entered the women’s bathroom and followed the quiet sobs and sniffles to the last stall. It smelled like flowery soap and peaches. Tsuna vaguely wondered if anyone even used the restroom. 

“Captain,” he said, his voice echoing in the otherwise empty bathroom, “I come bearing gifts.”

Haru let out some watery coughs. “You ass…” 

“I’d like to think of myself as an angel actually.” 

There was some shuffling behind the door until the lock clicked. When the door creaked open, Tsuna got a good look at Haru’s face. Her eyes were red from crying and her cheeks were flushed. She opened the door wider, leaning against the stall for some support. “What are you wearing?” she said.

Tsuna looked down at his clothes, which were essentially his pajamas: some black shorts and a white T-shirt that had a hole on the bottom coupled with black slippers and white ankle-high socks. “What’s wrong with it?” he said. “I look great.” 

Haru shook her head, chuckling. “I didn’t get a good look at you in the car but… My God, you look terrible. If someone comes in, they’ll seriously think you’re a pervert.” 

“ _If_ ,” Tsuna said. “Got you the last donut, too.” 

Haru rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. “What a keeper.”

Tsuna winked, even if Haru couldn’t see it through his sunglasses. “Of course I am.”

Haru grabbed her green knapsack and slung it over her shoulder. She sighed when she checked her face in the mirror. “I look like shit,” she said.

Tsuna turned on the water for her. “Yup.”

Haru huffed but didn’t say anything. She splashed water on her face, checking herself in the mirror, before doing it again a couple more times. Tsuna handed her some paper towels to dry her face, which she accepted gratefully, while he fixed her jumper. “What happened, cap?” he said.

Haru shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s just—My head hurts. I need to get my stuff, too.” 

Tsuna opened the door for her. “Sure.” He handed her the drink. “My queen.” 

Haru snorted but took it anyways. “Thanks, peasant.”

Tsuna placed a hand over his heart. “That’s all I wanted to hear.”

“You’re ridiculous.” 

“Whatever you say is just music to my ears.”

Haru wrinkled her nose as she stirred her drink slowly with the plastic straw. “Oh God, kill me.”

Tsuna just smiled. Haru seemed more relaxed than she was before. She slurped her drink with a stubborn crease in her brows, most likely trying to think of something other than being fired. 

“How was the shoot?” he said. 

Haru narrowed her eyes. “I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Did you at least have some fun?”

“Tsuna.” 

The brunet raised his hands. “Apologies, Your Royal Highness. Curiosity got the best of me is all.” 

“Should I cut your tongue off?” 

“Then who will keep you company with beautiful songs at night?”

Haru groaned. “I swear, singing that stupid theme song _isn’t_ beautiful. It’s annoying.”

Tsuna gasped. “The Sugar Angels’ opening is the most beautiful song in _existence_.”

“I beg to differ.”

Tsuna grinned. “ _The great blue sky stretches out in the horizon and I reach out to grasp the fading rainbow that_ —”

Haru smacked his arm. “Shut up!” 

“— _disappears into the sea!_ ”

Haru scowled but it lacked any anger. “Seriously, Tsuna!” 

He dodged another slap. “ _With a prayer to a god I don’t believe in, I take one step forward to the future that shows promises of hope!_ ”

Haru was torn between laughing and strangling Tsuna’s throat. She floundered a bit before sighing loudly. “ _Okay_ , I’ll tell you!” 

Tsuna pouted. “We weren’t even close to the best part.”

“The best part is when you shut up and stay quiet.”

Tsuna sighed dramatically. “If that’s what the queen wants, then so be it.”

Soon, they arrived at a spacious office with some clothed and naked mannequins and papers scattered across a few desks. There were some models’ photos hanging on the walls. He hopped on top of the adjoining desk next to Haru’s, moving the chair out of the way so his legs could have room. 

“Fancy,” he said, picking up a brown sketchbook from the desk he was sitting on. He flipped through the pages while Haru dumped some sample fabrics out of a box onto the floor. There were several sketches of evening gowns and casual wear with notes scribbled on the side. They were alright but lacked creativity. 

“Don’t touch that,” Haru said, snatching it away. “It’s Tokuda-san’s.” 

“Don’t know who that is.” Tsuna sipped some of Haru’s drink. “Any time you’re going to tell me?” 

Sighing, Haru placed some binders in the cardboard box. She took a moment to collect herself. “I came in,” she said slowly, “on time. Higashi-san went through the choices in the morning but went out for some meeting with the other designers and stylists. We had to change our schedule a little bit because M.M’s plane got delayed. So, we worked with the client scheduled before her and that’s when shit happened.” 

Tsuna hummed under his breath. “Elaborate.” 

Haru pursed her lips. “I was getting there.” She slumped on her chair, looking worn out and a little pale. Placing her hand on her head, she sighed. “Ruri and Namiko were checking to make sure I brought everything but realized I was missing an outfit. I swear, I thought I brought it with me. Higashi-san got really pissed. I thought she was going to seriously kill me.” Haru chuckled bitterly. “That’s when I called you. You came, I got the bag, and went back up but…she exploded. Said I was stupid and irresponsible and…” 

Now, Tsuna may not care about a lot of stuff but the one of the few things he cared about was Haru, his best friend since middle school. When it came down to it, Tsuna was the definition of petty, but the smart kind of petty, the kind to shake hands with his victim before yanking them in and stabbing them in the guts. Okay, that’s a little much—for most people but Tsuna wasn’t most people.

“So, she fired you for technically no reason?” he said.

Haru looked up with tears welled up in her eyes. “What? Well, I mean, if you think about it, kind of. But I should’ve made sure…” 

“There’s nothing to think about here.” Tsuna hopped off from the desk. “It’s simple really.”

Haru eyed him suspiciously. “Tsuna, what are you thinking?” 

Tsuna smiled. “Why don’t we take a break from this and go meet your boss?”

* * *

No matter how much Haru protested, Tsuna didn’t budge. 

She didn’t lead him to the studio but he found it anyways. The signs were quite easy to follow. There were people talking inside, their chatter filling the cool air, and some shoes squeaking against the floor from running. Unperturbed by the noise and heavy scent of makeup and perfumes, Tsuna strode in like he owned the place, with Haru trailing nervously behind him. 

“Really, Tsuna,” she said quietly, “it’s okay. You don’t have to.” 

“I want to,” he said, shooting her a smile. “Besides, this sort of injustice is unwarranted, don’t you think?” 

Haru’s silence was very telling. One of the workers noticed them and ran over. “Sir, you can’t come in here!” she said, clutching her clipboard. “Only authorized people can enter. I’m sorry.” 

Tsuna smiled charmingly at her, making her blink. “This won’t take long,” he said, walking past her. 

The photo set was set up to look like the model was overlooking the sea. There were some makeshift wooden planks to serve as the docks and a backdrop of the clear blue sky and sea. M.M stood there in all her glory, looking like she swallowed a lemon. Her short red hair was straight, the bangs held back with a light blue pin, and she wore an ill-fitting smock dress that had too much red and orange; she looked more like she was going to some bizarre orgy party than to the beach. 

M.M leaned onto the fake wooden railing for support to remove her red sandals and toss them aside. “Honestly,” she muttered in French, “this is ridiculous.” When she straightened herself, Lancia came forward from one of the soft boxes to hand her some flats from the pink bag he had brought with him. 

“I thought I told you my size was 37,” M.M said, switching to Japanese. Tsuna had to hand it to her. She still looked pretty even if she looked like a viper. “How do you expect me to stand in these tight shoes?” 

Higashi Mieko, a short woman with a tight black ponytail, bowed deeply. “I apologize, M.M-san. My assistant must’ve misunderstood. We will bring you different shoes immediately.” 

After Higashi sent one of her workers to do her bidding, Tsuna stepped forward and smiled pleasantly at Higashi. “Higashi-san,” he said, catching her attention. 

The old woman frowned. “Who are you?” she said. “You’re not allowed to be here. Security!” 

Tsuna waved his hand. “We don’t need to go that far,” he said, smiling crookedly. “I just wanted to talk.” 

Higashi pursed her lips. “You have no right to be here.” 

“Oh, I have every right. You see, I’m here to represent my client on the grounds of unfair termination and many other things I don’t have the time to list at the moment.” 

At this point, some people stopped what they were doing to watch the bizarre turn of events. Even Lancia and M.M looked on in surprise and irritation, respectively. Haru stepped forward, her shoulders straight and chin up. Tsuna shot her a small smile of encouragement before facing Higashi again. Time to finally put that college drama class to good use. “Normally, you’re supposed to solicit voluntary termination if you want to let Haru go,” he said. “But I guess ‘normal’ doesn’t exist in this place.”

Higashi narrowed her eyes. “I’m sorry but you don’t—”

“Yeah, I guess I forgot to put on a suit but that’s what happens when people work too hard. You know, being a productive member of society? It does get tiring and I’m only human after all.” 

Two security guards appeared then. They were fit and looked like any generic security detail. Haru tensed behind Tsuna but he didn’t bat an eye. Instead, he smiled pleasantly. “This really won’t take long, gentlemen,” he said.

“You will leave,” Higashi said. “ _Now_.” She directed her gaze sharply at Haru. “I’m not surprised to see this coming from you, Miura, but I didn’t expect anything else more fitting.” Haru’s breath hitched as she struggled to speak up. “Both of you will leave now and I will pretend this never happened.” 

Tsuna raised a hand when the guards stepped towards him, making them pause. “Since Haru never agreed to her termination, you are required to dismiss her employment unilaterally with either 30 days of advance notice or 30 days of payment instead of a notice,” he continued. “Last I remembered, Haru informed me that you didn’t give her any sufficient reason for firing her suddenly. Plus, you never gave her a legitimate reason or any prior warnings for misconduct. You do realize this is a violation, right, Higashi-san?”

Something must’ve clicked in the woman’s head because she tried to save what composure she had from hearing Tsuna’s words. Higashi raised a hand to stop the security guards from pursuing anything further. “May we speak somewhere else?” she said tightly. 

Tsuna smiled slightly. “Oh, I’m very comfortable here. You see, I like having an audience, and what’s a better way to have multiple witnesses for our trial?” He felt a tinge of satisfaction when Higashi paled. Some workers shifted uncomfortably in the background while a few stared at him, wide-eyed. “From what I recall, Haru has never missed a day of work for the two years she’s been working here. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body to be a bother to anyone either. Do you see the issue here, Higashi-san?”

Higashi tensed slightly when he spoke her name. “We can discuss more in my office,” she said.

“The issue is that Haru has been fired for no legitimate reason,” Tsuna continued, brushing her off. “It would be an entirely different story if Haru was a closeted ax-murderer, but that’s not the case, is it?” He slung an arm over Haru’s shoulders. “Who could ever be terrified of her cute dimples and sweet smile?”

“Tsuna,” Haru said, her brow twitching.

“Right, right.” Tsuna gave Higashi another friendly smile that only sent shivers down her spine. “Now, I’ll ask again, Higashi-san. Why did you fire her?” 

“I—She—She did not uphold her responsibility,” Higashi said, slowly losing face.

“That is one of the most vaguest and insipid reasons I’ve ever heard,” Tsuna said, his smile still in place. “I know who you are, Higashi-san. You’re a lazy stylist and it really is a pity since you’re not all that talentless. I did enjoy your 2011 showcase in Osaka. You have a decent eye for color but really, having this lovely lady here wear red and orange like that is just criminal.” 

M.M raised a brow but didn’t say a word. 

Higashi’s nose flared. “How _dare_ you speak to—”

“Haru also worked over 40 hours a week, which goes against Article 36. I can’t pull the exact number off the top of my head—it’ll take some time to get through her overtime days, which were a lot by the way—but it seems to be above the limit. Should I give you my estimate?” 

The silence was deafening. All eyes turned to Higashi, who looked like she had difficulty breathing. She opened her mouth, then closed it, unable to conjure the words to speak. Tsuna’s smile turn just a tad sharper. “All my client asks for are to receive the payment she didn’t for her overtime,” he said a little too cheerfully, “and for you to take responsibility for your own duties. Really, you worked my poor Haru quite hard. I’m only keeping myself from listing other atrocities you committed to my client, but because our audience is very kind, I’m refraining myself.”

Haru stifled a laugh by covering her mouth. Tsuna gave Higashi a lazy, two-finger salute. “And that’s all I have to say, Higashi-san,” he said. “You know how to contact Haru.” Higashi flinched when Tsuna’s showed some teeth in his smile. “Let’s not waste any more time by going to court, shall we?” He nodded towards the stunned workers and assistants. “Have a wonderful day, everyone.” 

With that, he turned and led Haru out of the studio. No one tried to stop them. As soon as they exited into the hallways, Tsuna collapsed almost dramatically against the walls, dragging Haru with him. “That was horribly exhausting,” he said.

Haru snorted but grinned nonetheless. “That was fucking great. I wish I could’ve recorded it.” 

Tsuna beamed as he straightened himself up. “I would’ve done the same.” 

Haru burst out laughing. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you actually did that. Did you see everyone’s faces?” 

“Oh no, do tell.” 

Rolling her eyes, Haru shoved Tsuna playfully with her elbow. “You narcissist.” 

Tsuna shrugged. “I’ve heard better.” 

Haru laughed. “But seriously, posing as a lawyer? When the hell did you learn all that?” 

Tsuna pulled down his sunglasses to wink at Haru. “I just took a little crash course on the way here. I’m _great_ at multitasking. Also, I should add that I didn’t know half of what I was talking about. Remind me to send Professor Nakamura a gift basket later.” 

Haru shook her head. “I can’t believe you sometimes.”

“You can. I’m the most reliable person around.” 

Laughing, Haru led him back to her office. “Seriously, Tsuna, that was amazing. I wish you could’ve slapped her, too. I wanted to _so_ many times.”

Tsuna grinned. “Oh, I think _this_ is much worse than a slap.” 

Haru tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see. It’s actually very easy.” Tsuna ruffled Haru’s hair, making her huff. “Don’t hurt your pretty head with trivial things, dear Haru.” 

Haru’s lips slightly curled upwards, her eyes softening. “Tsuna…”

“Come on. I’ll help you pack.” 

Laughing, Haru stood up and continued to pack her box with Tsuna’s help. 

“Can I have the donut?” he said.

“You can have whatever you want.” 

“Awesome.”

* * *

Packing Haru’s stuff didn’t take long. Thankfully, all she needed was one box for her stuff. Tsuna carried it to the elevator with Haru walking beside him. She dumped her empty drink in a trash can nearby and let out a weary sigh.

“Great,” she said, pressing the elevator’s down button. “I’m going to have to find another job.”

“There’s plenty of stylists around,” Tsuna said. “You won’t have much of a problem.” 

Haru sighed again. “Maybe, but Higashi-san is pretty…influential.” 

“You know, I could always—”

Haru raised a hand to make him shut up. “No. No handouts. You’ve done so much for me already, Tsuna. I can’t keep taking from you all the time.” 

Tsuna shrugged. “As always, the offer’s always open.” 

“Thanks but I’ll leave you hanging on that.”

“Oh, well.”

Haru smiled as the elevator doors opened. They both stepped inside before Haru pressed the lobby button. Before the doors closed, a familiar rush of footsteps sounded from the right. Haru squeaked when a hand suddenly appeared, keeping the doors from closing. Tsuna smiled when they opened again. “I’m getting a sense of déjà vu here,” he said. 

Lancia smiled slightly, a small break from his usually stoic face. “Yes,” he said. 

Stepping to the side, he let M.M in first. She had changed out of the red and orange dress into a white off-the-shoulder crop top and high-waist denim shorts. A pair of expensive sunglasses covered her eyes. A light, citrusy scent wafted in Tsuna’s nose when she walked past him. Haru gasped under her breath but didn’t say a word. When Lancia entered, he pressed a button to close the doors. 

A brief, awkward silence fell amongst them until, surprisingly, M.M spoke up. “You’re not actually going to court, right?” she said. “I’m not testifying. I’m saying that right now. Don’t drag me into your business.” 

Tsuna turned a bit to smile at her. “No worries,” he said. “I’m not a lawyer so trial’s a no-go.”

Haru stifled a giggle. Lancia coughed lightly into his fist, glancing at Tsuna out of the corner of his eye curiously. “I…see,” he said. “You were very convincing.” 

Tsuna’s smile widened a little. “Using big words often throws everyone off.”

M.M lowered her sunglasses, her brow raised. Standing near Haru, she was taller by a few centimeters, even if she was wearing tan-colored flats. “Really?” she said. “So all of that was fake?” 

“Fake is a cheap word but sure.” 

To nearly everyone’s surprise, M.M laughed. Even better—it sounded genuine. “I almost can’t believe it,” she said. “Well, you didn’t really look the part so I had my doubts anyways.” 

“Never judge a book by its cover,” Tsuna said as the elevator slowed down. “Well, that’s what people say but what do I know?” The doors opened then with a small ding. “After you, ma’am.” 

M.M pursed her lips. “Don’t you know who I am?”

Tsuna smiled slightly. “I do know who you are.”

A few seconds of silence passed between them until M.M scoffed and exited the elevator. Lancia bowed slightly towards Tsuna in apology before following her out. Just as Tsuna walked out after Haru, M.M suddenly whirled around, taking off her sunglasses. “Okay,” she said, pointing them at Haru, “where did you get that?”

Haru froze. “I, erm, um, what? I mean, excuse me?” 

“The jumper,” M.M said, stepping closer. “I’ve been to Tokyo several times and I’ve never seen this design before. You’re not a designer from what that hag said but you have better taste. Which store did you buy it from?” 

“M.M,” Lancia said, though he didn’t sound that threatening, just weary. 

The model waved him off. “So, where’d you get it?” 

“Oh, erm, my friend made it.” 

Tsuna smiled with a slight twitch. “Time’s precious, Haru.”

Haru straightened up. “R—Right!” She bowed towards M.M and Lancia. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I apologize for what you had to see before. Have a nice day.” 

“Wait!” M.M said. “Tell me!”

Haru quickly caught up with Tsuna without looking back. They heard M.M stomp her foot in frustration. Haru nearly sagged against him. “Shit, I thought I was going to vomit words.”

Tsuna shuddered for effect. “No more words. My brain’s fried.” 

Haru nudged him playfully. “You weren’t bad. I’m amazed you even remembered them.” 

Opening the trunk, Tsuna placed Haru’s box inside before closing it. He sighed loudly. “Well, that’s enough human interaction for today.” 

Haru laughed. “You did good today, Tsuna.” 

Tsuna grinned. “Anything for you, cap.” 

* * *

Loud bubbly music played from the speakers and Tsuna immediately bobbed his head to the fast-paced beat. A woman sang as soon as the strings and drums finished, “ _The great blue sky stretches out in the horizon and I reach out to grasp the fading rainbow that disappears into the sea!”_

Haru let out an aggravated groan from the bar. Her laptop and notebook were both open in front of her. “Tsuna, lower it! I can’t concentrate!” 

Tsuna just sang along with the woman louder, “ _With a prayer to a god I don’t believe in, I take one step forward to the future that shows promises of hope!”_

More strings and upbeat bass exploded in the song as Kyoko jumped into the air with a big grin on the TV screen. Tsuna grinned, hugging his cushion to his chest. “Ah, Kyoko-chan’s really pretty,” he said., sighing dreamily. “Isn’t she, Natsu?” 

Natsu swished his tail lazily, his head resting on Tsuna’s lap. Tsuna immediately perked up when Bluebell and Yuni soon joined Kyoko on the screen, the ocean and sky a beautiful backdrop behind them. “This part, this part!” he said. “Natsu, get ready!”

He took in a deep breath, preparing himself to sing again, when his phone rang. Grumbling under her his breath, he snatched his phone from the side table and nearly chucked it against the wall—it wouldn’t be hid first time doing it—when he caught a glimpse of the caller ID. 

“Boo,” he said, rolling over on his couch. Sighing, he paused the show with the remote and forced himself to get up.

Haru paused in her writing. “Tsuna? Is everything okay?”

“Just a small check-up,” Tsuna said, heading for his bedroom. “Don’t worry. Scream if you need me.” 

Haru rolled her eyes. “Just don’t die on me.” 

Tsuna smiled sweetly. “It would be a terrible crime for Death to take me.” 

When he entered his bedroom, he closed the door behind him and plopped down on his bed. The drapes were drawn and he didn’t bother to turn on the lights. He answered the call shortly after, facing the ceiling. 

“Tsunayoshi,” a warm voice said over the line. 

Tsuna smiled. “Old man.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little Notes and Fun Facts  
> 1) “Asagao” means “morning glory” in Japanese.  
> 2) ¥11,262.10 is $100 or €85.64 in today’s currency.  
> 3) Starbucks in Japan did sell “Chocolate Cake Topped Frappuccino with Matcha Shot” that was only available in the summer. They also had some matcha desserts to go with it (donut, scone, and cake). Reference: https://favy-jp.com/topics/347  
> 4) I’m sorry. I don’t know how to write lyrics. :^)  
> 5) Well, Tsuna can speak French. ;^)  
> 6) Shoe sizes are pretty important. M.M says she’s size 37, which is the European measurement. In Canadian/U.S. measurements, it’s size 7. In the UK, it’s size 5. In Japan, it’s 24 cm. So really, there was a mix-up in communications there. Really unprofessional on Higashi’s part but she’s not doing her job properly anyways. (shrug)  
> 7) Professor Nakamura was Tsuna’s drama teacher. And no, he didn’t major in law, haha.  
> 8) What Tsuna said is true about the labor laws and regulations, but I’m not sure if I utilized them correctly.  
> 9) What was worse than a slap? Losing M.M as a client. There’s actually a reason for this that will be revealed. ;^)
> 
> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	3. Chapter 3

" _Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn."_ – Orson Welles

* * *

"How are you, Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna rolled over to lay on his stomach. "I'm peachy. Never felt better. It's nice to hear you still kickin' and well, livin'."

His grandfather chuckled. "Thank you, that just about settles my poor heart."

"This isn't a courtesy call, is it?"

"What makes you think that? I'm only checking in on my dear grandson."

"Old man, just spill. You know I'll accept everything you'll tell me with an open mind and heart so hit me."

"From my own experiences, that is very unlikely," Timoteo said dryly.

Tsuna grinned sharply. "What makes you say that? I love you with everything I have, you know that—within reason, of course."

"You never see reason."

"Why, that's just harsh. Logic is the fundamentals of being a human being. I guess it goes without saying that I had no idea what I just said but it still sounds nice, right?"

"The suit you tailored."

"What?" Tsuna said, exaggerating the "a". "I tailored a suit? Since when?"

He had to give it to his grandfather though. He was  _really_  patient. "The suit I sent to you last week. The one for Mukuro Rokudo?"

"Oh, that one. I kind of remember and I kind of don't. Walk me through this. What about it?"

"Why in the world did you remove the buttons? Did you not read my note? I'm certain that I put it in the box."

"Oh, that little orange thing was your note? I thought it was just some confetti. Sorry, I threw it out."

Timoteo sighed tiredly. "You had one job, Tsunayoshi."

"Okay, hear me out here. Mukuro is, what, roughly 178 cm? He's also lost weight, I'm not sure if you noticed, but having the suit be that conservative makes him look stuffy, not elegant. He's more of a stick-up-his-ass kind of guy and a walking stick but a nice walking stick, you get what I'm saying?" Tsuna rolled over again on his back and stared at the ceiling. "Long story short, either give him the traditional Italian cut or take off the buttons. He's just going to end up looking like a turd."

"That wasn't your job."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Then why do you keep sending them to me? I'm only doing it because you, my dear grandfather, are my only family left and family comes first, right? Plus, I'm not a fan of being in debt."

Timoteo huffed. "Tsunayoshi, you have an offer from Rossana to become a part of her team."

"No thanks. Instead of an offer, you should give me my June allowance. That never came in."

"She wasn't happy with your alterations but Mukuro appreciated it."

"Still no. Also, you're avoiding the more serious topic here."

"Tsunayoshi."

"Nope."

"Please."

"How many times have we gone through this?"

"You're wasting your life."

"I'm  _living_  my life fantastically, thank you."

"You're wasting your talent."

"I have lots of talents and the biggest one is living my life to the  _fullest_."

"Time won't be kind on you."

"Ohh, so we're going to fortune cookies now. Terrifying. Let's see."

"I am being very serious, Tsunayoshi."

"And I'm also being very serious. My answer will forever be and remain  _no_."

"Your parents wouldn't want to see you like this."

The air suddenly chilled. Tsuna tightened his grip on his phone. "You don't know anything about them so don't talk like you do." He rose from his bed. "Sorry, but I'm busy right now. Leave a message or something more worthy of my time after I hang up. Bye!"

He ended the call before Timoteo could respond.  _Way to kill the mood_ , Tsuna thought. He stood up and stretched his arms in the air. Some bones popped in his back. Maybe he should really invest in that running machine he saw online. He was really just skin and bones and what a sorry sight that would be at his funeral.

When he left his room, Natsu sat up from the couch, waiting for him to sit beside him again. Tsuna cuddled his cat as he plopped down.

"You okay?" Haru said.

Unknown to her, Tsuna smiled coldly. "I'm wonderful."

* * *

Timoteo didn't call him back after that. Haru's check arrived two days after the whole fiasco. She walked with a small skip in her steps so all was good in Tsuna's book. When he woke up, Haru had already left for some job searching and being productive as usual. He yawned and scratched his head, rolling over on his bed just to fall on the floor. Grunting, he pushed himself up, blowing a strand of hair out of his face.

Natsu leaped down quietly to lick his cheek and waited for him to get up. Tsuna smiled slightly. "My sweet knight in shining armor. Whatever would I do without you?" Natsu just purred in response, as if consoling him. Tsuna scratched his chin. "Probably rot."

He stood up then and headed for the bathroom. Showering was such a weird thing for him. Not doing it but the whole phenomenon of not wanting to go in. For some reason, it was too much work, but when he did start showering, he didn't want to leave. The world was full of weird things, or maybe humans were weird, he didn't know.

Turning the knobs, Tsuna stepped into the warm water and massaged some of his shampoo in his hair. It smelled like mint. Haru had screamed at him for using hers when he ran out so he had gone on soap for a while until he ordered some shampoo online. Oh, yeah, and body wash. Some lavender, lemon, thing. Honestly, he just bought all the popular ones without really reading the details. Hey, if they smelled good, it was fine.

When he finished, he grabbed a towel and dried off his hair. He wrapped another towel around his waist before heading for the door. He dropped his clothes in a laundry hamper out in the halls. Making a note to actually  _do_  it later, Tsuna headed to the kitchen to get something to drink. All that steam in the bathroom made him thirsty.

As soon as he stepped out into the living room, someone shrieked. Tsuna blinked, turning to the noise, and found a rather unexpected guest. He raised a brow. "You're not Haru."

And no, the guest wasn't. M.M, wearing a short, black jumpsuit-overall, stood by the couch while covering her eyes. "No, I'm not!" she said. "What are you doing?"

Tsuna opened the fridge. "Getting some water. What are  _you_  doing?"

"P—Put some clothes on!"

Tsuna grabbed a cup from the pantry and poured some water inside. "That's not what you're doing." He peered at the model over his cup as he sipped it. "How did you get in here?"

M.M continued to cover her eyes as if her life depended on it. "Can you just put some clothes on first so we can talk?"

"We're talking now," Tsuna said, setting the cup down.

"J—Just put some clothes on!"

"Oh, come on. I don't look  _that_  bad. I don't have a six-pack but it's not some disgusting beer belly." Tsuna patted his pale stomach. "It's flat enough. Although, I guess you can kind of see my ribs and that's no good."

"Put some goddamn clothes on already!" M.M said.

"This is my house, sweetheart," Tsuna said, heading to the couch. He hopped over it and sat down. "I can do whatever I want. Come on, spill the beans. How did you get in here?"

M.M shuffled awkwardly to the side, still covering her eyes. "T—The front desk let me in! The man told me where your room was!"

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. Shirasu. "Give me a minute. Oh, and here." He grabbed some random home slippers and plopped them in front of M.M. "I just cleaned everything yesterday."

Ignoring the woman's indignant sputters, he headed for the wall phone near the doorway that connected him to the apartment's front desk. Tsuna dialed the special number and waited for the secretary to pick up.

"Hello, this is—"

"Shirasu."

A beat of silence passed before the other man cleared his throat and responded, "Ah, K—Kato-san! Is there something you need?"

"Why yes," Tsuna said, inspecting his nails. "I need answers. Who is in my living room?"

"Um, I'm not sure what you mean, Kato-san."

"You know what I mean, Shirasu. Think  _long_  and  _hard_  about this. Really, get your brain cells working today. I'm sure they need some exercise."

"Erm, well, I—Oh! Do you mean your girlfriend?"

Tsuna deadpanned. "My girlfriend." He didn't state it as a question.

"Yes! She came in a few minutes ago and I sent her up with your pin. She informed me that she forgot it and wanted to surprise you. I hope you don't take any offense to it but I didn't think you'd have such a beautiful girlfriend!"

Tsuna sighed dramatically. "First things first, remind me to never trust you with my life. You truly terrify me. Second, you're dead to me. Third, why would I date a carrot?" He ignored M.M's, "Hey!" in the background. "I don't fuck carrots, Shirasu. Do you fuck carrots? I hope not. Do you know what we do with them? We eat them. Fourth, why in the world would you think I'm dating? You do know Haru lives with me, right? Think, Shirasu, think for once."

Shirasu sounded close to tears. "I'm so sorry, Kato-san! I didn't know!"

"Now, now, Shira-kun," Tsuna said in a motherly tone. "Don't cry yet. You still have a chance to redeem yourself."

"Anything, Kato-san!"

"Send security up here. You know what to tell them."

"Okay, Kato-san! I really am sorry for the terrible misunderstanding."

"Don't worry. We all make mistakes so it's just best to learn from them, right? You're learning very well, Shira-kun."

"Th—Thank you, Kato-san."

"See you."

"Ah, Kato-san!"

Tsuna sighed. "Yes?"

"May I…ask a question?"

"Of course you can."

"Um, well, you see, uh, are you—I hope you don't get offended, but are you…gay? It's just that, you know, I don't see anyone else but Haru-san go to your room and I was just curious, that's all! Oh God, I shouldn't be asking this? Why am I asking this?"

Tsuna smiled. "Open minds and open heart only here, right, Shira-kun? Would it make a difference if I  _am_  gay?"

"No! Never! You'll always be Kato-san to me!"

"Good. Now learn to mind your own business too, okay, Shira-kun?  _Bye_!"

Tsuna placed the phone back on the receiver and turned to M.M, who was sitting on the couch and looking around his living room. Natsu came out of his room with a small yawn. He glanced at M.M curiously before finding Tsuna and bounding towards him with light steps. M.M gasped and quickly covered her eyes when Tsuna headed towards her.

"Some nice, strong men will be coming soon," he said, as if talking to a child. "And they take you home, okay?"

Before M.M could conjure a response, Tsuna walked to his bedroom with Natsu trailing uncertainly behind him. The cat peered over his shoulder as if he was trying to get a glimpse of M.M from Tsuna's room. Tsuna dug through his drawers to find some clean clothes. "Don't worry, Natsu," he said. "She's harmless." He patted Natsu's head. "Remember? Carrots are harmless."

After he was dressed in a clean white shirt and some black shorts, he left his room for the kitchen again.

"Look," M.M said, "I know that this isn't…polite or anything."

"Oh, you don't say," Tsuna said, taking out some eggs.

M.M huffed. "Okay, let's just cut to the chase. I came here to ask you for your services."

Tsuna checked the rice cooker. There was still some leftover rice from last night. He pressed the reheat button. "Sweetheart, I don't do the giving. You're asking the wrong guy here. Shira-kun might take you up on that though."

"You—What—How  _dare_  you!"

Raising a brow, Tsuna turned around to face the model. "Says the one who broke into my house."

M.M turned almost as red as her hair. "I didn't break in your house! I just…happened to get your code. And what kind of person would have 1234 as their door pin? Are you an idiot?"

"This is me being nice to you so you please stop taking up all my precious oxygen. Thanks."

He heard M.M stomping towards the kitchen before squeaking when Natsu hissed at her. "Oh my God! Get it away from me!"

"You're doing great, Natsu," Tsuna said, chopping up some vegetables. "Keep doing what you're doing."

M.M let out an aggravated cry. "Look, you crazy bum! I didn't come here to be—to be  _harassed_! I came here to give you a job offer!"

"Not interested."

"Just listen to me!"

"I am listening." Tsuna cracked some eggs over the frying pan. "And I said no."

"What if I add something to sweeten the deal?"

"Look, Carrot Top," Tsuna said, turning halfway to meet M.M's gaze, "I'm a very busy man with very busy priorities. Enough said." The doorbell buzzed then. "Oh, wow, look at that, your escorts are here."

Before Tsuna could reach the door, M.M ran over and spread her arms in the air, blocking him. She glared at him. "You're not going anywhere!"

"Uh, yes, I am," Tsuna said, pinching a nerve on her shoulder. Ignoring her yelp, he continued walking towards the door. "I'm going to the—agh!"

A sudden weight tackled his back to the ground. Tsuna rubbed his forehead with a grimace. That was going to bruise. M.M huffed a laugh as she slammed Tsuna's wrists against the floor. "You know, you're pretty weak for a guy," she said.

"Just doing my part."

Natsu yowled and leaped a great distance in the air to knock M.M down. She shrieked, letting Tsuna go. "Not the face! Not the  _face_!"

Pushing himself up, Tsuna crawled over to take Natsu off of the model. "My sweet knight," he said, petting the cat to calm him down, "'tis be your greatest rescue yet."

The doorbell rang again.

"Coming, coming," Tsuna said, standing up.

M.M exclaimed in frustration. "If you take one more step, I'm cancelling your meeting with the Sugar Angels!"

Tsuna whirled around then, his mask blank. "Oh, really? Tell me more."

M.M smirked. There was a light scratch on her cheek. "If you don't let them in, we can discuss the best time and place to meet. 100% guaranteed."

"What did you want again?"

M.M straightened herself and crossed her arms over her chest. "Your services."

"You're going to have to elaborate. I do plenty of things."

"You know what I'm talking about. Don't play dumb."

Tsuna hummed to himself. "Well-played. Give me a minute."

He headed towards the door and opened it with a grin. "Hello there, good gentlemen. What seems to be the problem?"

One of the security guards blinked. "We were told to come to this room, sir."

Tsuna widened his eyes, feigning surprise. "Really? Are you sure you have the right place?"

"Well, the front desk told us to come here," the other guard said.

Petting Natsu's fur, Tsuna smiled innocently. "There's nothing wrong here. I'm still alive and breathing as you can see."

"Oh, well, I see. We apologize for the bother."

"No problem. You're only doing your jobs. Have a nice day, gentlemen."

Tsuna shut the door as soon as the guards left and let Natsu go. "I have questions," he said, heading back to the kitchen.

M.M huffed, eyeing Natsu warily. "Of course you do. So do I."

"How did you find me?"

M.M stuck her chin up with a prideful gleam in her eyes. "I have my ways."

Tsuna mixed the vegetables in another pan with some Spam. "Enlighten me." He peered over his shoulder to see M.M sitting down at the bar, still not taking her eyes off of Natsu who was doing the same.

"I had Lancia follow your friend around for a few days," she said. "Do you ever leave your house?"

"You had your manager stalk Haru."

" _Follow_."

"Same difference, Carrot Top."

"Stop calling me that! I have a name!"

"I get hungry when I think about your name."

"And not Carrot Top?"

"I hate carrots."

Scowling, M.M crossed her arms over her chest. "You're ridiculous."

"Touché."

After Tsuna finished making some fried rice with egg on top, he poured some cat food in Natsu's bowl. Natsu padded towards it and waited until Tsuna said, " _Itadakimasu_ ," before he started eating. "So," he said, "you know the Sugar Angels?"

M.M scoffed. "Of course I do. Who doesn't?"

Tsuna nodded solemnly. "Exactly."

"Anyways, if you do me this favor, I'll let you meet them."

"Sorry, but you don't seem the type to actually know them."

M.M furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

"How can anyone let you near such pure, sweet angels?"

Tsuna dodged M.M's slap easily, pulling his bowl away. She scowled at him with a blush on her cheeks. "Stop saying stupid things!"

Her stomach growled then, making her flinch. Tsuna pointed at the frying pan with his thumb. "I have extra."

"I—I'm not hungry!"

"Then what was that?"

"W—What was what?"

"And you call me an idiot." Tsuna rose from his seat to get another bowl from the pantry. He filled it up with the rest of the fried rice and slid it towards M.M. "You're welcome."

M.M looked at the bowl like it was a pile of sludge. "I'm on a diet!"

Tsuna shrugged. "Okay. I'm hungry anyways."

Before he could take back the bowl, M.M smacked his hand away. "I didn't say I didn't want it!"

"Then eat it. I didn't poison it if that's what you're thinking."

M.M flushed. She picked up her spoon and muttered something under her breath. When she took her first bite, her eyes widened. "This…is good."

"Of course, it's good. Who can screw up fried rice?" Tsuna pointed at M.M with his spoon. "Okay, what's the favor?"

"I want you to make your friend's jumper for me."

"I don't make clothes."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"I know who your parents are."

Tsuna continued eating calmly, not batting an eye. "Really?"

"Kato isn't your real surname." M.M spoke as if she got the jackpot. "It's Sawada."

Tsuna set his spoon down and looked up, lacing his hands together in front of him. "You got more?"

Smiling proudly, M.M continued, "You were pretty hard to find. It's like you're a ghost in the system.  _But_ , you graduated from Teikyo University in Hachioji with a BA in Japanese culture. Your grandfather—well, adopted grandfather—is Timoteo Vongola, the head CEO of the Vongola fashion brand." M.M was nearly at the edge of her seat, her green eyes shining bright with excitement. "Your father was Sawada Iemitsu, one of the greatest designers of his generation! I still remember his beautiful golden gown from his 1997 Spring collection. Your mother was also a wonderful seamstress. Her—"

"So?" Tsuna said, making M.M flinch. "Everything you've said doesn't mean I can make clothes."

"Oh, um, well—"

"Move it along, sweetheart. I don't have all day."

M.M flushed. "Well, the—Your friend's—"

"Haru."

"Haru's jumper," M.M corrected immediately. "The red camellia—it was Nana-san's insignia in her early works. Her flower patterns were really exquisite…"

"Who else knows this?" Tsuna said, betraying nothing on his face despite the typhoon churning in his mind. He had been thorough.  _Timoteo_  had been thorough. Was this his grandfather's way of punishing him? After all his father did for him?

M.M glanced to the side. "No one."

"If you're going to lie to me, at least say it to my face."

M.M inhaled sharply. "I—Lancia, my manager."

"And?"

"The ones who found the information…?" She quickly added, "They're my friends! Well, kind of."

"Alright." Tsuna draped his arm across the chair beside him. "This is what you're going to do. You don't utter a single word about this to anyone. That goes for  _everyone_  in your little circle. You're going to leave and I'll forget we ever had this conversation, okay? Do you understand?"

Too stunned to speak, M.M just nodded. Tsuna smiled thinly. "Good girl."

A small beep broke through the tense silence before the front door open. "Tsuna, you better be awake or I'm going to kick your as—Oh." Haru froze at the doorway, her eyes going wide when she saw M.M. "I…didn't know you had a guest."

Tsuna smiled at her. "Welcome home, Haru!" he said in a sing-song voice. "How was your day?"

"Um, should I just come back later?" Haru said, slipping her shoes back on.

"Oh, no. She was just about to leave."

Pursing her lips, M.M grabbed her bag and stood up. "Can I just ask you a question?"

Tsuna waved his hand flippantly. "Go ahead."

M.M took a deep breath. "Why do you live like this? You could be one of the greatest names in the fashion industry."

Tsuna's lips twitched slightly. Screeching tires and glass shattering against the pavement rang hollowly in his ears, but he ignored them. "Because I should've stayed dead."

M.M flinched. They stared at one another, neither of them giving in. Tsuna had to hand it to her though. She had guts. Finally, M.M turned away and headed for the door, brushing past a wide-eyed Haru. Tsuna put his bowl in the sink and threw out M.M's rice, which didn't have a lot left.

While he washed them, he sensed Haru walk up behind him. "You okay?" she said quietly.

Natsu curled his tail around Tsuna's ankle as he laid down by his feet. Tsuna smiled but didn't look up to meet Haru's gaze. "I'm good," he said. "What's there to worry about?"

"You know that I'm glad you're here right, Tsuna?"

Tsuna turned off the sink and dried the bowls with a small towel. "Yup."

"I'm being serious."

"I know."

Haru rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. "I'll be back, okay?"

"No rush, no worries. Take your time."

Haru crouched to pet Natsu's head. "Keep him from doing anything stupid, alright? That a boy."

"Hey, he's my cat. Don't tell him what to do."

Haru stuck her tongue out at Tsuna. "I am his  _queen_."

Tsuna smiled despite himself. "You got me there."

Standing up again, Haru jogged towards the entrance to slip on her sandals. "I'll be back in a few. I forgot something at the front desk."

Tsuna didn't call her out on her lie. "And I'll be here, you know, not dying."

Haru gave him an unimpressed look. "Not funny."

Just as she touched the door handle, Tsuna suddenly said, "He called me a few days ago."

Haru widened her eyes. "Your grandpa? Why? What did he say?"

"Just wanted to check on me. He said hi by the way."

Haru pursed her lips. "You didn't say anything about me, right? I have an interview tomorrow."

Tsuna clapped his hands together. "Oh, really? As expected from my dear Haru. What a beast—I mean, queen."

Rolling her eyes, Haru opened the door and stepped out. "You drive me nuts sometimes."

"Ah, then I'm doing my job well."

Haru just left with a sigh. Tsuna picked up Natsu and held him in his arms, plopping down on the couch. His eyes glanced at the door to the only room in the apartment that belonged to him other than his bedroom.

He nuzzled Natsu's furry head, smiling when the cat licked his cheek. "That's one door we're not opening again, old friend," he said.

Natsu just nuzzled his arm, making himself comfortable on Tsuna's lap. Still, that didn't really quell the ominous feeling stirring in Tsuna's stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little Notes and Fun Facts  
> 1) Timoteo is basically Tsuna's only source of "income".  
> 2) Tsuna attended Teikyo University, a real school, on their Hachijo campus, which has the largest student population of the five campuses. It's known for its strong focus on humanities and liberal arts. He went here since it was close to Haru's school, Sugino Fashion College, where she majored in Visual Merchandising.  
> 3) Guess who M.M's friends are, hehe.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	4. Chapter 4

" _Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It's not about brands. It's about something else that comes from within you."_  – Ralph Lauren

* * *

Tsuna rarely got stressed, and when he did, he'd go on a binge.

He re-watched Sugar Angels from Season 1 to Season 6 twice in three days, threw Haru into a fit when he used up all the groceries she bought to make random dishes they mostly didn't eat, and used up nearly all the paper in the house for making paper cranes.

"Tsuna!" Haru screamed from the kitchen. "Stop making cupcakes!"

Tsuna barely moved from the couch as he continued reading a random manga he fished out of the closet. "I thought you liked my Chocolate Caramel Coconut Delights," he said, turning the page. Natsu was curled up on his stomach, acting as a nice rest for his manga.

"This is like the hundredth batch you made! We have no room!"

"I believe in you, Haru. You can make room." Before Tsuna could reach for his cup of soda, it was snatched away from his reach. He peered over the manga to see Haru standing above him, glaring.

"Get up and call your grandpa," she said.

" _Ex-_ grandpa. He's dead to me."

Haru sighed in frustration. "Tsuna, you can't do this anymore.  _We_  can't do this anymore. My salary's not enough for this!" She waved her other hand in the air, gesturing at the penthouse. "I can barely buy the groceries because  _you_  keep using them! Call your grandpa!"

"As long as we have each other, I believe we can get through anything."

Haru's face darkened considerably. " _Now_."

Tsuna tossed his manga to the side. "Roger that, my Queen." He grabbed his phone and dialed Timoteo's number. Face blank, he was met with another voicemail. "Hello, dearest grandfather. This is the 35th message I'm leaving you and yes, I'm counting. You know what it's about. Call me before I do something even worse than dying all your suits pink. Thank you!"

He yelped when Haru smacked his head. "That hurt, Haru!" he said, his bottom lip quivering.

"Suck it up and leave a  _better_  message."

Tsuna's face immediately reverted back to a blank slate. "I did everything you could possibly think of. I even said that I'd clean all of his cars."

Haru pinched the bridge of her nose. "Tsuna, I can't keep supporting the both of us like this. It's been a week already and my credit card's almost maxed out." She poked Tsuna's forehead. "This is probably your grandpa's way of saying that you have to grow up."

Tsuna pouted. "Are you taking his side? What happened to our Friendship Oath?"

"You're an idiot." There was less heat in Haru's words. "I'm not taking anyone's side. I'm just trying to look out for you and this isn't the way it should be. I get where your grandpa's coming from but I don't think he should've blocked your bank accounts to get his message across."

Ah, when Tsuna had found out that none of his cards worked, the world seemed to be closer to the brink of extinction. And now, the limited edition of Yuni's figurine from the Rainbow Alliance Arc was off the market. He sniffled dramatically. "My poor Yuni," he said. "Now stuck in some other man's hands."

Haru's brow twitched. "Get your shit together, idiot! Go out and find a job so you can at least pay me back for everything I did for you!"

Tsuna widened his eyes. "A job?" He made an "X" with his arms. "Job and Tsuna do not belong in the same sentence, Haru."

For that, Haru smacked him over the head again, this time much harder. "You're going to get a job whether you like it or not!"

Tsuna hugged Haru's waist tightly with fake tears in his eyes. "How can I possibly get a job, Haru? I have no skills or experience and I hate people. People are terrible."

"If you don't find a job, I'm going to move out."

Tsuna gasped. "You wouldn't."

Haru narrowed her eyes. "Try me."

It didn't take a genius to know that she wasn't lying.

* * *

The summer heat was irrefutably unbearable and Tsuna already missed the comfort of his air-conditioned apartment.

"So this is what you've been dealing with every day," he said, turning the car to the next street. "Respect."

Haru huffed. "It's what  _everyone's_  been dealing with, not just me."

"Everyone is a pretty strong word."

"Shut up and keep driving."

Tsuna wisely kept his mouth shut. After going through some job interviews at some stores, he didn't really reach success. Most of the managers just berated him for being so lazy to find a job now at his age, which he wasn't in the mood to listen again after Haru's long lecture. He couldn't even last a day being a supermarket cashier with all the bullshit some customers gave him. Being a waiter at restaurants wasn't all that great either when Tsuna spent most of his time arguing with the customers over their orders.

"Park here," Haru said.

Tsuna raised a brow. "Another interview?"

"No, I need to do  _my_  job, too." Haru grabbed a clothing bag and exited the car when Tsuna parked on the streets. "Come on. I'm not leaving you out here."

Tsuna placed a hand over his heart. "I feel loved."

"You're just going to try to buy stuff that we don't need."

"What? Since when?"

Haru deadpanned. "Tsuna, get out of the car."

Raising his hands in surrender, Tsuna unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car before Haru would really blow up. He followed her inside a large clothing store that had mostly women's clothing on display. The store's name hung above the windows in big, pink letters:  _Lovey Dovey Mia_. Tsuna wrinkled his nose. What a corny name. There were a handful of customers inside and the scent of cherry blossoms and plums came on pretty strong. Some cute pop song played in the background but Tsuna didn't really pay much mind to it.

Haru suddenly whirled around and jabbed a finger against his chest. "You're going to sit and  _stay_." She pointed at a small bench near the shoe section. "Over there. Got it?"

Tsuna gave her a mock-salute. "Yes, mother."

Haru dragged him by the arm to the bench and sat him down. "Stay."

Tsuna barked in response and grinned when Haru blushed in embarrassment and scurried off to do what she had to do. He made himself comfortable on the wooden bench. Fishing out his phone from his pocket, he checked for any messages or missed calls. When he found none, he sighed under his breath. His grandpa was really too much.

Despite that, Tsuna knew real deep inside his precious soul that this really wasn't the best way to live his life. However, he refused to acknowledge it properly. Whether it was out of stubbornness or stupidity, he didn't know. A giggle came from his right. A mother and daughter were shifting through cute dresses, with the mother holding some against the little girl's body. Tsuna's lips slightly twitched into a smile. It was a sweet scene, reminding him of his own mother whenever they went shopping together.

He looked down at his phone, about to play some Sugar Angels Bubble Pop, when someone spoke, "Excuse me, can you help me?"

Tsuna peered above his sunglasses to see two young women approaching him with some clothes draped over their arms. "Sorry, sweetheart, but I don't work here."

The bespectacled girl flushed. "O—Oh, I'm sorry! You just looked like a worker. Please excuse me."

Tsuna smiled charmingly. "No worries." He looked down at his clothes that Haru had made him wear: a white polo shirt, some pastel pink shorts, and tan-colored sneakers. When he made eye-contact with another worker, he waved the other man over. He could see why he was confused for a worker. They both wore similar clothes, minus the worker's pink scarf that was part of his uniform. "Excuse me, these ladies here need some help."

The worker nodded and immediately led the young women away, chatting with them amicably. Tsuna was about to return to his phone when someone else plopped down next to him on the bench. It was the little girl with her mother, who smiled apologetically at Tsuna.

"Please excuse us," she said.

Looking at her closer, she had long lashes and short red hair underneath her white viser. Tsuna smiled. "It's no problem."

"Is Onii-chan finding new shoes, too?" the little girl said, her eyes wide and curious.

"Mami-chan," her mother said, lifting up her daughter's foot.

Tsuna waved a hand to let her know it was fine. "Onii-chan is just being a good doggy."

Mami giggled. "You're not a doggy, Onii-chan. You're silly."

Tsuna nodded solemnly. "A silly doggy who did bad things."

Mami laughed, clapping her hands in delight. Tsuna peered down to look at the girl's shoes. They were navy blue flats with soft brown outsoles. Cute and simple. Well, a little too simple. They weren't a good match with the light gray dress draped over the mother's arm. "Those are pretty shoes you got there," he said.

Mami beamed at him. "Kaa-chan picked them for me! Mami is going to a party next week! It's Tomoko-chan's birthday!"

Tsuna grinned. "That sounds like fun! Did you get a gift for Tomoko-chan?"

Mami nodded as her mother helped her put on her other shoe. "Mami got a big doll for Tomoko-chan! It's a baby duck with a huge green ribbon because Tomoko-chan likes green!"

"Green is a beautiful color," Tsuna said. "I'm sure she'll love your gift."

"Mami knows she will!"

Her mother smiled up at her. "Alright, Mami-chan. Stand up for Kaa-chan."

The little girl hopped onto her feet, her short reddish-brown hair bouncing swaying slightly from the movement. Tsuna leaned back against the bench and opened his phone. He raised a brow when a text message from Timoteo popped up:  **Stop calling. I'll be available tonight after 8.**

Rolling his eyes, Tsuna just left his text messages and swiped to play Sugar Angels Bubble Pop.

"Kaa-chan, something feels weird," Mami said, raising her right foot.

Tsuna glanced down to see a small tear at the back of her flat. Mami's mother furrowed her brows in concern. "What do you mean, Mami-chan?" she said, inspecting her daughter's feet.

Tsuna helped Mami sit down and raised her right foot so her mother could see better. He pointed at the small tear in the shoe's fabric. "This is torn," he said. "It's not bad but the shoe can fall apart later." He smiled. "Plus, it's no good to wear damaged shoes."

Mami looked like her whole world shattered. "So…I can't wear it?"

Her mother looked flustered as she took off Mami's shoes. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but we'll have to find something else."

At Mami's teary eyes, Tsuna sighed dramatically, drawing the two's puzzled attention. "Looks like you need a hero there," he said. Pulling down his sunglasses a bit, he winked at Mami. "Wanna see Onii-chan do something cool?"

Mami tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Tsuna stood up and looked around for the worker who was still talking to the young women. "I'll be back in a jiffy," he said, walking towards them. When he approached them, he tapped the worker on the shoulder. "Excuse me, but do you happen to have some needle and thread?"

The worker blinked in confusion. "I—I'm sorry?"

"I'd rather not throw a big fuss with calling your manager out," Tsuna said, smiling amicably. "Just some trouble with one of your merchandises. Don't worry. I can handle these lovely ladies while you're gone."

The young man still looked lost but quickly excused himself and left, too flustered to think properly. Tsuna waved at his back before turning to the stunned women. "Sorry about that, ladies," he said. "A little emergency. So, what're you looking for?"

The woman with her hair in a bun frowned. "You said you're not a worker."

Tsuna gasped scandalously. "What? Since when? Well, don't worry. You're in good hands." He glanced at the array of clothes in the women's shopping basket. Immediately, he picked out the long yellow and purple dress. "Sweetheart, you're not going to gain anything by wearing this."

Mami and her mother appeared behind him, still confused. "Um, excuse me," Mami's mother said. "But—"

Tsuna gave her a small grin. "No worries. I got this." He gave Mami a thumbs-up. "Care to be my sidekick, Mami-chan?"

Mami perked up. "Me?" She tugged her mother's skirt. "Kaa-chan, Mami can be a sidekick?"

Her mother forced a smile. "I don't know…"

Tsuna shifted through the dress rack. "No, no, nope, what is this? No to that. No to this. Still no.  _Oh_." He pulled out a long, white Bohemian dress that had red roses and white tulips. "What do you think, Mami-chan?"

The little girl widened her eyes. "It's  _pretty_!"

Tsuna turned to the young women and shook the dress. "Which one's shopping?" The girl with glasses raised her hand timidly, making Tsuna laugh warmly. "Come on, sweetheart. This isn't the classroom. Ah, university students?"

She nodded with a blush while her friend rolled her eyes. Tsuna placed the dress against her body while tapping his chin. "What's your name?" he said.

"K—Kimiko," the girl stuttered out.

Tsuna smiled. "Hello, Kimiko-chan. You can call me Sora. What do you think of this, Mami-chan?"

"Onee-chan looks really pretty!" Mami said, her eyes bright.

"Right?" Tsuna said. "See, you're a natural. Best sidekick around." Mami beamed at that. Tsuna looked around for some accessories when his eyes landed on a straw hat with a thick, black ribbon. Snapping his fingers, he went over to grab it and placed it above the dress. "Since Kimiko-chan has such lovely black hair, this would go perfectly with the dress. Plus, you'd look great with feminine clothes. What do you think?"

Kimiko blushed. "Um, well, I guess?" She looked down at her feet. "I don't really wear dresses that often…"

Tsuna smiled reassuringly. "Doesn't hurt to try 'em. Come on." He led her to the dressing room and handed her the clothes. "Put it on. We'll be waiting! No pressure."

Kimiko just squeaked when Tsuna closed the door in her face. He glanced at Kimiko's friend who looked torn between looking impressed and disgusted. "Need help, dear?" he said, grinning.

"I didn't ask for anything," she snapped.

Tsuna raised his hands. "Alright, just wondering."

Mami tugged his shirt. "Can Mami pick too, Onii-chan?"

Tsuna grinned. "You can do whatever you want, kiddo." He sized up Kimiko's friend quickly. She was a bit shorter than her friend with more muscle in her thighs and tanned skin. Her black hair had golden-yellow highlights. "Do you like heels?"

The friend blinked. "Huh?"

Tsuna was already waltzing through the women's section before she could fully process what he said. Mami trailed behind him like an eager puppy, her mother not too far behind. Finding some cream-colored shorts, he tossed it towards the friend and quickly shifted his attention to nearby blouses. He hummed the Sugar Angels theme song under his breath as he rummaged through the rack like a fiend. "Aha!"

He took out three blouses: pale yellow, dark blue, and red. "Mami-chan, it's your turn! Which one is the best?"

Mami furrowed her brows cutely as she concentrated. "This one!" She pointed at the pale yellow blouse.

Tsuna grinned. "You, my dear, are a genius." He tossed the other two on the rack and handed Kimiko's friend the pale yellow blouse. "Go and change, sweetheart. Time's tickin'."

She just stared at him in disbelief before walking grudgingly to the changing rooms. Tsuna raised his hand for Mami to give him a high-five. "You did spectacular, Mami-chan," he said, then placing his finger against his lips. "But the best part's not here yet."

Right on cue, the worker returned, looking a little breathless. "We have some needle and thread in the back, sir."

"Great!" Tsuna said. "Show me the way."

"Um…"

Tsuna slung an arm around the worker's shoulder, making him flinch. "Do you really want your manager to be sued for damaged products, buddy? My guess is no." He grinned. "I'll be real quick. No one will know I was there."

The worker widened his eyes. "F—Follow me, sir."

Tsuna gave Mami the "okay" sign. "Come on, Mami-chan. We're off to save the world!"

Giggling, Mami eagerly followed him to the back where only employees could access. Several clothes that weren't on sale were on the racks along with some bulletin boards with posters of models. The worker led Tsuna to another room where there were some fabrics, naked cotton mannequins, and boxes of new shipment. He pulled a drawer and gestured uselessly at them. "We keep the needles and threads here, sir," he said. "You won't tell my boss…right?"

Tsuna patted his shoulder. "Nope. My lips are sealed. Right, Mami-chan?"

Mami nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Mami can keep a secret, too!"

"Great!" Tsuna surveyed the large drawer before picking up a needle and a bundle of royal blue threads. "I have all I need." He plopped down on an empty chair and motioned for Mami's shoes. "Onii-chan's going to do something cool so just sit tight, okay?"

Mami nodded enthusiastically. "Okay!"

Tsuna raised his ankle to rest on his knee and propped the torn shoe on top of it. He grabbed a pair of scissors to cut the right length. Tying a knot through the needle, he started to quickly sew the torn fabric on the back of the shoe. The motion deeply ingrained in his hands was an almost welcome comfort without him thinking much about it. His mother had taught him everything she knew before shit hit the fan, for lack of better words.

No one spoke while he work, or rather, he zoned them out. Faint murmurs droned around him as he moved in a straight line without hassle. Within minutes, the fabric was securely sewn back. Tsuna inspected the needlework to make sure it was good to go before handing it to Mami with a grin. "Here! Good as new!"

Mami exclaimed in amazement. "Onii-chan, that was so cool! How did you do that?"

Tsuna stood up from his chair and helped her sit down. "I'm just a great hero. Come on, I'll help you." He easily slipped the shoe on Mami's foot and smiled. "There. All better. See?"

Mami squealed as she hopped onto her feet. "Look, Kaa-chan, look!"

Her mother smiled gently. "Yes." She looked to Tsuna. "Thank you."

Tsuna shrugged. "Just being a good Samaritan."

Before she could respond, a voice yelled, "Tsuna!"

The brunet barely had the time to blink when Haru grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the store. She tapped her foot against the pavement with her arms crossed over her chest. "What did I tell you?"

"To sit and stay."

"And yet, I saw you back there where you  _weren't_ supposed to be."

Tsuna shrugged helplessly. "Do you want the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

Haru threw her arms up in the air. "Tsuna, I swear if you—"

The store's bell tinkled behind them as Mami and her mother walked out of the store. "Excuse me!" Mami's mother said, running over. "Oh, thank goodness I caught you in time."

Tsuna smiled at her. "Not going anywhere at the moment. Is there something you needed, ma'am?"

"Oh, yes." Mami's mother held up the shoe Tsuna had fixed. "This—I noticed the stitching you did and it means you're a professional. Are you a tailor or designer by any chance?"

"Nop—"

"Yes!" Haru said, making Tsuna blink. "He is! Is there something you need?"

"Well," Mami's mother said, rummaging through her handbag, "I was hoping that you accept commissions or private requests."

Tsuna raised a brow. "N—"

"Of course, he does!" Haru said. "Is there anything you need, ma'am?"

Tsuna could barely keep up while Mami's mother and Haru chatted excitedly. He looked down when Mami tugged his hand. "Onii-chan, are you going to make a dress for Mami?" she said, her red eyes bright.

The brunet glanced at Haru who took a small card from Mami's mother and smiled faintly at the little girl. "I guess so."

Her grin lessened the small ache in his chest.

* * *

"You basically sealed my death sentence."

Haru sighed for the umpteenth time. "Stop being so melodramatic. It's a good opportunity  _and_  it pays, well, a third of your rent but it's  _something_." She held up the small card Mami's mother gave to her. "Kozato Hotaru. What a strange name."

"You're not my manager."

"No, but I'm your friend and I'd rather not have both of us stranded in the streets. Life's not going to your way all the time, you know. You need to get your shit together." Haru's voice softened. "You need to move on, Tsuna. Life's too short to wallow."

Tsuna gasped dramatically. "I don't  _wallow_."

Haru rolled her eyes. "Yes, you do."

"I'm offended. No dinner for you."

"I'll be surprised if we even  _have_  dinner."

Tsuna drove into the penthouse's parking lot. "Oh, we'll have dinner. Cupcakes!"

"They're not a meal!"

"They are for me." Tsuna drove into an empty parking spot and quickly parked the car. "It's not my fault you're on a diet. Seriously, do you think they ever work? You're fine already. Can't have you becoming a literal stick." He dodged Haru's slap just in time before climbing out of his car. "It's just another way of saying you're perfect and don't change, sweetheart!"

"I told you to never call me that!" Haru said, exiting the car from the other side.

"I love you, too!"

Haru continued talking his ear off as they rode the elevator up to his floor. Most of what she said went in one ear and out the other.

"—is really easy for you, too! A dress! You know how to make that!"

Tsuna picked his ear. "Dress? Easy? Wh _at_?" He sidestepped Haru's slap again as the elevator doors opened with a small ding. Sighing, he headed towards his door. "I'll only do it 'cause you get annoying when you're moody."

"What did you say?"

"That you're the most beautiful woman in the world and my only queen. I'm only your most humblest servant."

Haru scoffed. "That's what I thought." They both stopped in front of his door. "Look, Tsuna…"

Tsuna raised his hands in the air. "I will do this because we need the money and because I sadly have no other skills to speak of. I will commit to this job until I have the finished product in my hands and deliver it personally to Mami-chan. Scout's honor."

Haru scowled, but smiled a little nonetheless. "I'll keep your word for it."

"Go ahead." Tsuna typed in his code on the keypad before a trill sounded from his door. "You can make a written contract if that makes you feel better."

When he opened the door, the two of them froze. Haru let out a strangled noise that was between a squeak and a scream. Tsuna just pursed his lips.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" he said.

"I—I think so…?" Haru whispered, her eyes wide in disbelief. "That's…"

A man was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed and long arms draped behind him in a casual fashion. He smirked when he met Tsuna's eyes. "It's nice to see you again, Tsuna."

"Drop the cupcake before I rip those stupid curls off your face, sunshine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's something. A plot. We're getting there, ahaha. :^)
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope to see you again in the next chapter!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	5. Chapter 5

_“I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity.”_ – Diana Vreeland

* * *

At the sound of Tsuna’s voice, Natsu darted from his bedroom and tried to hide behind the brunet’s legs. Sighing, Tsuna crouched to pick up the cat and stared blankly at the nervous animal. “You’re useless,” he said, shaking Natsu a little. “Terrible guard cat.”

“Tsuna…” Haru said, tugging his sleeve. “He’s—That’s…” 

Reborn, in all his stupid glory, stood up gracefully from the couch and finished one of the cupcakes that Tsuna had baked this morning (or yesterday, he couldn’t remember; there were too many). He wore a white button-up shirt and some dark brown slacks that accentuated his long, slim legs. His suit jacket in the same color was draped over the couch. Even though Tsuna wasn’t fond of the man, he begrudgingly admitted that Reborn had good taste. Keyword: begrudgingly.

Toeing off his shoes at the doorway, Tsuna stuck out his hand. “I’m going to make you throw that up.”

Reborn just dropped the crumpled wrapper in his palm, his eyes still on whatever was playing on the TV. “You can try,” he said, not sparing him a glance.

Natsu leapt out of Tsuna’s arms when he lifted his leg to kick Reborn’s stomach, only for the other man to seize him quickly by the ankle. Haru squeaked behind them, fumbling with her own shoes. Tsuna smirked. “Oh, not bad,” he said. “You’re still in shape.”

Reborn mirrored his expression. “I can’t say the same about you.” 

“Still just a pretty face. Pity.” Tsuna tugged his foot away from Reborn’s grasp and spun around to face a still shell-shocked Haru. “Any tips on getting rid of this cockroach?”

“Wait!” Haru said, tugging her hair. “Do you know him, Tsuna?  _How_ _?_ "

“Isn’t he the guy you like? The serial killer?”

“Reborn-san is _not_ a _serial killer_!" 

Tsuna glanced over his shoulder. “Hey, are you a serial killer?” 

Reborn raised a brow, amusement dancing in his dark eyes. “Does it matter?”

“See? He is.” Tsuna fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. “Classic textbook response.”

Haru snatched the device out of his hand. “Explain, Tsuna! Stop fucking around with me!”

Tsuna sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can I first call the police before we do anything?”

Reborn plopped down on the couch again as if he owned the place. “Yes, Tsuna, explain so we can move it along and get to the actual point. I’d rather not waste my time any more today.”

“Hey, you don’t call the shots here, sunshine. Natsu, scratch him.” His cat just looked at Tsuna like he was crazy. “I’m trading you for a dog. Wait.” Tsuna pulled down his sunglasses and sniffed the air. It smelled like perfume, _women’s_ perfume. He followed the trail to Reborn who just eyed him blankly. “So tell me, did I become a cockblocker today?”

Haru gasped sharply behind him. “ _Tsuna!_ ”

Tsuna just grinned and poked Reborn’s cheek. “Did you do it or the unfortunate woman?”

Reborn didn’t look fazed however, already used to Tsuna’s erratic personality, which wasn’t any fun. “Neither. She’s only a coworker for a shoot.” 

“You say coworker, I say one week.”

Reborn smirked, his face inches away from Tsuna’s. “Why is my personal life such a concern to you?”

“Oh, it’s not. I just feel sad for the people that manage to spend time in your bed.” Tsuna smiled sweetly. “I never hear good things.”

Reborn raised a brow. “Oh?” He reached up to grip Tsuna’s chin but the brunet leaned back before he could. “Whoever says that might have been mistaken.” The man’s lips curled into a devious smile. “Care to find out, Tsuna?”

Tsuna hummed to himself. “Not interested and never will be.” He wrinkled his nose. “Put on some cologne or whatever you wear. That perfume’s stinkin’ up the whole place.”

Haru suddenly smacked him over the head. “Tsuna! Talk. _Now_.” 

Sighing, the brunet raised his sunglasses above his head and clapped his hands together. “Okay. That creature is the Devil, should never exist, is a closeted serial killer, and what am I forgetting here? Oh right, he’s the old man’s most loyal dog.” He smiled sweetly at Reborn. “Is there anything I’m forgetting here, sunshine?”

“Aside from the fact that you’re delusional and wholly incompetent,” Reborn said. “A TV evangelist is more believable than you.” 

Tsuna scowled when Haru snorted. “Hey, whose side are you on?” 

Haru sobered up, but her smile remained. “I didn’t say anything. You’re still not telling me anything either.” She dangled Tsuna’s phone in the air. “This and your collection are going in the trash if you don’t talk.”

Tsuna stumbled towards the couch with his hand over his heart. “Why…Why is the whole world against me?”

He winced when Reborn flicked his forehead. “Get yourself together,” he said. “Nothing will be offered to you on a silver platter for the rest of your pathetic life if you keep this up."

Pursing his lips, Tsuna pushed Reborn away. “This again.” He sighed dramatically. “How many more times am I going to have to hear that my life isn’t suitable for your people’s standards? Go home, dog. Oh, and tell your heartless master to reinstate my bank accounts. Thank you.” He faced Haru with a sugary smile. “Right, where were we?”

“How do you know him?” Haru deadpanned. “You never mentioned him, _ever_.” 

“Oh, he’s not worth any of our time, dear Haru.” Tsuna led her to the kitchen. “Now, what do you want for dinner? My treat.”

Half-empty trays of cupcakes and bowls of batter were strewn across the counter. Dirty dishes were piled up in the sink, a few coated with crumbs and frosting. Tsuna ducked when Haru whirled around to smack him in the face.

“I’m being serious, Tsuna!” she said.

“You must be Haru,” Reborn said, appearing at the bar. “It’s a pleasure.”

Haru flushed. “Oh, I, um…”

Tsuna swatted Reborn’s hand away and held onto Haru like a lifeline. “Bad dog. Go away.”

“Tsuna!” Haru pulled away from him and quickly shook Reborn’s hand. “I’m so sorry about him, Reborn-san. He can be”—she glared at Tsuna who just pouted—“ _very_ difficult.”

Reborn smirked. “I can attest to that.”

“So, how do you know Tsuna, Reborn-san?” Haru blushed from seeing the handsome man up close. “Unless…I’m reading the situation wrong.”

“Haru,” Tsuna said, hugging her waist from behind, “I told you, he’s nothing. Worth less than the dust bunnies here. By the way, what do you want for dinner?”

To his chagrin, they both ignored him.

“I happen to know him through Timoteo,” Reborn said. “I suppose you can say we have a substantial relationship.”

Tsuna deadpanned. “What relationship? You’re hilarious. Also, do I have to remind you again that you’re nothing to me?”

Reborn’s lips slightly twitched. “That’s not what happened at the fune—”

“Go dig a hole and rot.” Tsuna turned to give Haru a bright smile. “So, dinner?”

Haru brushed him off. “Ah, I see.” She smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry, it’s just that I never see you around and Tsuna never mentioned you.” 

Huffing, Tsuna headed towards the wall phone and dialed a number, but not before sneaking his phone out of Haru’s pocket. She should really get that checked to be more secure. Tsuna wasn’t going to get anywhere with the two. Quirks of being stubborn pigs—well, Haru wasn’t a pig. Reborn technically wasn’t either, but semantics. Tsuna mentally slapped the label over him anyways. The line rang twice before someone picked up.

“Hel—” 

“Shirasu.”

“Oh, Kato-san! Yes, is there anything I can help you with?”

Tsuna leaned against the wall, his face blank. “Quick trivia of the day: who’s in my living room now?”

“E—Eh? Oh, I mean, pardon? There shouldn’t be anyone in your house, Kato-san! I made sure of it!”

“Think about it for a minute, Shirasu.”

“N—No, Kato-san! I mean it! Really!” 

There was some rustling of paper on the other line and Shirasu’s frantic breaths. Tsuna peered over his shoulder to see Haru and Reborn still talking. He picked up on “showcase”, “Bianchi”, and “magazine” before tuning them out. Boring. He pouted. Why was the whole world against him today?

“Here, Kato-san! I have the visitors’ log right here and there’s no one who said they wanted to see you in the past few weeks! No message or package either. Not since, well, um, that lady.”

“Did you happen to see someone tall, wearing a suit, with ridiculous curls on either side of his ugly mug pass by?”

“Ah, well, my shift only started about 15 minutes ago,” Shirasu said. “B—But I’ll check with Koizumi-san! She must’ve seen the person you’re talking about!”

“Yes, please do,” Tsuna said.

He was put on hold for a bit and took the time to check his phone. Nothing from Timoteo. _Damn him_ , Tsuna thought, typing a quick text message. 

**Take back your dog or I’ll put him down instead.**

He felt a small sense of satisfaction when he sent the message, but it was short-lived when Haru suddenly laughed behind him. “What’s so funny?” he couldn’t help but say, looking over his shoulder. “My, you look happy, Haru.”

His friend just shook her head, still giggling. “N—Nothing. Just keep doing whatever you’re doing.”

“Yes, I will,” Tsuna deadpanned, dangling his phone in the air. Haru stopped, her eyes widening. “I’m making plans on putting down a dog.” He glanced at Natsu who had followed him and was curled by his feet. “And maybe a cat.”

“Sato-san?” Shirasu said, returning to the phone. “I just asked Koizumi-san and she said there wasn’t anyone that matched your description.”

Tsuna rubbed his chin. “Oh, really?”

“But there is someone she saw coming by. There was a handsome man in a suit with curly sideburns that came by an hour ago. He said that he was a friend of yours.”

“Same difference,” Tsuna said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Put her on the phone, Shirasu.”

“P—Pardon?”

“Put. The woman. On. The phone.”

“Y—Yes, sir!”

Soon, Koizumi spoke softly through the line, “Kato-san?”

Tsuna smiled. “Oh, Koizumi-san, how are you?”

“Oh, um, I’m fine, Kato-san. Thank you for asking. And you?”

The woman realized too late that it was the wrong answer. Tsuna’s smile sharpened a tad. “Funny you should ask, Koizumi.” He could sense the secretary flinch on the other line. “I’m actually not in my happy corner at the moment. I feel like I could kill a couple of people right now, maybe roast them over some fire. So, I’m not fine. Listen, I’m going to be—scratch that, how many people are at the desk right now?”

“Um, there’s just…me and Shirasu-san.”

“Okay, put your phone on speaker. Now, please.”

“Y—Yes, sir!”

“Listen to me very carefully because I’m only going to be saying this once and only once,” Tsuna said lowly. “I’m going to be making a list of every single person that is not allowed to come inside my building, much less be in a 400-ft radius or whatever to this place. You’re going to make nice little copies of them and give it to every person that works here, got it?”

“Y—Yes, Kato-san!” the two workers said.

“Perfect! Now any questions? No? No? Yes? No? Okay.”

“Um, Kato-san,” Koizumi said. “May I…ask a question?”

“Depends.” 

“Oh, um, well, what is your…relationship with Reborn-san?”

“Nothing. Next.”

“Oh, K—Kato-san!” Shirasu said.

“Yes, Shira-kun?” 

“Erm, well, um, so you see, uh, the—Akiyama-san had told me earlier that, um, your rent didn’t come in and, uh, to let you know.”

Tsuna looked down at his phone that lit up with a message from Timoteo: **I did what was needed, Tsunayoshi.**

“—at I don’t really want you to go since you’ve been very kind to me when I started working here and—”

“Shira-kun,” Tsuna said sweetly, “you’ll always hold a place in my heart and as long as you do as I say, there won’t be any problems, okay?”

“O—Of course, Sato-san! I’ll do my best!”

“Okay, expect the list later tonight!” 

“Do you need me to call security for you?”

A shadow suddenly loomed over Tsuna from behind. He smiled sharply. “Oh no, Shira-kun. That won’t be necessary.” He turned around to face Reborn, who looked down at him with a slight smirk. “I’m going to have to do the dirty work today. Have a wonderful evening!” With that, he hung up and stared up at Reborn. “You know, I didn’t think the old man had the guts to send you.” Face blank, he tilted his head when Reborn placed an arm against the wall, leaning over him. “What’ll it take for him to back off?”

“I came here to make his job a little easier,” Reborn said. 

Tsuna’s lips twitched. “Oh, so you admit to being his dog.”

“Out of the goodness of my heart.” 

“What heart?” Tsuna poked Reborn’s chest. “Yup, still empty. I know you have some bit of brain left in there. My answer is no. Besides, I have a job. Tell _that_ to him.”

Reborn raised a brow. “A job?"

Tsuna pushed past him with Natsu trailing behind his heels. “Yeah. So can you please leave now? Thank you!”

Haru was shifting through the fridge and pantries like a mad person. She let out a groan of aggravation. “Tsuna, there’s nothing to eat!” she said. “All I see are your stupid _cupcakes_!”

“Wh _at_?” Tsuna said, face blank. He plopped down on the couch, which dropped Reborn’s suit jacket over his face. It smelled like espresso, some spices, and that woman’s perfume. Vaguely, he thought that the fabric was nice. He tossed it aside just as Reborn caught it. “There should be leftovers of… _something_.”

Before he could grab the remote and change the news channel—wow, Reborn was fucking _boring_ —someone snatched it out of his grasp. Groaning, Tsuna covered his eyes with his arm. He grunted when Natsu hopped on top of his stomach.

“Tsuna, I swear to God, I _will_ move out _tonight_ if you don’t get your ass up and _do_ something about this!” Haru said above him.

Tsuna opened his eyes to see Haru standing over him with a glare. “What about takeout?” he said, opening his phone. 

“Oh, so you managed to get some money in your cards?”

Tsuna placed his phone back down. “You’re right. We’re broke.” He glanced at Reborn who studied the two with calculating eyes. Well, that wasn’t any good. “Haru, come with me. I need your input on something.”

Grabbing his friend’s wrist and ignoring her protests, he dragged her into his bedroom and shut the door.

“What are you doing?” Haru said, wrenching her hand away. “What’s _wrong_ with you?” 

Tsuna shushed her quickly. “He’ll hear us. Lower your voice.” He leaned in to whisper, “I have an idea.” 

Haru scowled at him. “Yeah? Well, it better be good because I wasn’t lying about moving out, Tsuna.”

“Oh, you know you won’t do that,” Tsuna said, waving her off. “Anyways, the old man’s being real stubborn about this so I’m— _We_ are going to have to improvise for a little bit until things go back to the way it was.”

Haru sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “What is it?” 

Tsuna smiled crookedly. “Since I’m no good at anything else, I’m going to have to use a little bit of mojo here to help us.” 

Haru frowned. “Don’t say that, Tsuna.” 

“You want dinner, right?”

“Food is what I’m going for, but sure,” Haru deadpanned. "And the rent."

Tsuna snapped. “Who here actually has money?” 

Haru blinked, her brows furrowed in confusion, before she gasped. “No, Tsuna, you wouldn’t.”

“Like I said, dear Haru, we’re going to have to improvise a little bit. Who knew he could actually be useful for once.”

“Tsuna, you can’t just _ask_ him to loan you money. How are you going to pay him back? What are you even _thinking_?”

Tsuna gripped Haru by the shoulders. “I’m not going to let you starve, my Queen. You will _live_ to see another day.”

“That’s not the _point_.”

“It’ll be okay.” Tsuna eyed the door in a dramatically solemn fashion. “For you, anything will be done.”

“Tsuna, y—” 

“Besides, what’s the worst that can happen?” Tsuna said, shrugging his shoulders. “I can just access my father’s secret funds and find a cozy island to live in.”

“Your father has secret _funds_?”

“Hmm, well, no, but I like to think it. Isn’t that a nice thought though?”

“The money?”

“No, the island.”

Haru sighed. “My God, this is my fault. I was too nice to you.”

Tsuna tilted his head. “What do you mean? You were a she-devil sometimes.” He grunted lightly when she punched his arm, but smiled anyways. “This is fine. We’ll be _fine_. So, green light?”

Haru massaged her temples. “No…but we need the money and…I like this apartment…”

Tsuna grinned, giving her a mock-salute. “It shall be done, my Queen! Don’t worry!”

With that, he opened the door and walked out into the living room where Reborn was sitting on the couch and talking on his phone in hushed Italian. The man hung up as soon as Tsuna stood in front of him. He raised a brow, a knowing smirk on his smug face. “Well?” he said.

Tsuna crossed his arms over his chest. “Three suits,” he said. “Whichever style you want, personally tailored and custom-fit.”

Reborn leaned forward on his elbows over his knees. “Seven suits,” he said, “with my input.”

Tsuna rolled his eyes. “Five. How do you have the time to wear so many? You should really get your style fixed.”

Reborn just smirked. “And what do you want, Tsuna?” 

“I just need you to be my sugar daddy for today.”

Haru choked on her spit in the background before running into the kitchen to get a cup of water. She filled it twice.

Reborn hummed to himself. “Alright.” 

Grimacing, Tsuna stuck out his hand. “Then it’s a deal.”

* * *

If there was one place that Tsuna loved other than his bedroom, it was the supermarket. Food was basically every man’s life so to speak, and he couldn’t deny the fact that he wouldn’t be able to live without it by his side while he watched Sugar Angels on repeat. They drove in Reborn’s fancy-schmancy sports car because why the hell not, with Haru in shotgun and Tsuna in the back after Reborn pulled him out of the driver’s seat. That left the brunet sulking for the whole ride. All he wanted was to give Reborn’s car a little scratch, just a teeny scratch (okay, no, he didn’t; he wanted to wreck it).

As soon as they parked, Reborn was recognized immediately by the local shoppers and asked to take pictures and autographs. Tsuna grabbed Haru and made their escape, uncaught and unnoticed, to enter nicely air-conditioned Heaven. He sighed in content when his eyes zeroed in on the snacks aisle. “Ye—oof!”

Haru pulled him back by the collar and forced him to wheel the cart. “No.”

Tsuna pouted but complied anyways. He’d get his chance soon. Haru’s words went in one ear and out the other as she placed some fruits and vegetables in the cart. He wrinkled his nose when she got some carrots. “I think we can live without those, thank you very much,” he said, putting them back.

Haru smacked his hand away and placed the carrots back in the cart. “You have no say in this whatsoever. Don’t touch _anything_.” 

Tsuna huffed. “Okay, okay.”

“You’re already exploiting Reborn-san. Don’t lower yourself even more.”

“Hey, I graciously pimped myself for you to get you food and this is the thanks that I get?” 

Haru’s breath hitched. “Shut up, Tsuna.”

Tsuna shrugged. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“If I could, I’d sew your mouth shut.” 

“I can do it for you.”

Haru just glared at him. Tsuna mimed zipping his lips and locking it with an invisible key before throwing it away. He didn’t even know what Haru was aiming to cook for dinner. There were strawberries, blackberries, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and spinach. Boring. Tsuna raised his hand like he was in class until Haru noticed him at the corner of her eye and sighed. 

“ _What_?” she said, getting some packaged beef. Tsuna pointed at his mouth. “Just _talk_.” 

“What’s for dinner, my Queen?” 

“I don’t know.” 

Tsuna deadpanned. “You don’t know.” 

“I’m not sure what Reborn-san would like.” 

“Who said that he’s staying?” Tsuna shut his mouth when Haru leveled him with another glare. “Okay. We’re having dinner with the Devil.” 

“You’re the one who came up with the idea in the first place!”

“Yes, and I asked for your opinion.”

Haru sighed. “Look, I don’t know _what’s_ going on between you two but maybe this can be a good time to, I don’t know, reconcile?”

Tsuna made a blank face. “Reconcile—you’re asking me to reconcile with the man who came to ruin my life. You’re funny.” 

“Just, _think_ about it, Tsuna, okay?”

“Yeah, right, I’ll think about it.” Tsuna leaned on the cart, pushing it slowly behind Haru. “A quick little tip though.”

“What?”

“Just go with something Italian. The Devil’s a simple man despite all the suits he wears.”

Haru’s lips twitched, which didn’t really bode well. “Really?” Oh, and he didn’t like that tone. “Well, it’s been a while since you’ve cooked properly.”

“Please stop.” 

“And I _really_ like your cooking.”

“No.” 

“Plus, I don’t know who else can make Italian like you.” 

“Holy water—I need holy water.”

“It’s _perfect_.” Haru jerked the cart to another aisle. “Pasta it is then.”

Tsuna prayed to every god out there to just smite him right then and there. No lightning, no falling shelves, no earthquake resulting _into_ toppling shelves. Nothing. Either the gods loved him too much or they hated him enough to not grant his one simple request. Yeah, maybe he should think things through sometimes.

Something then caught his eyes. Something beautiful, something incredible, something _that made his heart skip a beat_. Gasping, he let go of the cart and dashed towards the divine snacks section. There, on the shelves, was the last limited-edition of the Sugar Angels strawberry-filled candy sweets, with _Kyoko-chan’s_ picture on it. 

 _Sweet gods if you love me then let me—_  

His thoughts were cut short when a little girl, a little fucking brat, walked over and took the candy bag off the shelves. Tsuna skidded on his feet to block her path, making her jump. “Wait!” he said, panting heavily. “That candy—Onii-san here really wants it so you can just give it to me and we’ll all be happy campers, okay?”

He smiled sweetly as he tugged the bag away from the girl, but it didn’t budge. Looking down, he saw that the girl held onto it tightly, her brows furrowed. 

“What are you doing, Onii-san?” she said. “That’s mine.” 

Tsuna’s smile froze in place. “Well, Onii-san here really wants it.”

“Then you should’ve got one before.”

“There’s no more.” 

The little girl with her smug little face and stupid pigtails smirked at him. “Finders keepers. I got it first.”

A small vein popped in Tsuna’s forehead. “Well, it’s always good to respect your elders, sweetheart, so just _let it go_.”

The girl wasn’t moved. “No. It’s mine.” 

Tsuna’s smile strained a bit. “Look, it’s not like you know anything about the beautiful Sugar Angels. You probably just got it because the girl on here is really pretty. Let me tell you, the candies don’t taste good.” 

The little girl scoffed. “I _know_ who the Sugar Angels are. And that’s Kyoko-chan.” 

“ _Don’t_ say her name like you know her.” 

“But I do know her.”

“No, you don’t. You got her number?”

“I don’t know, do _you_?”

The two stared each other down, not backing away in the slightest. Sparks nearly flew between them until Tsuna huffed and scratched his chin, not letting go of the bag. “Since this became this way, I’m pretty sure you know only the wikipedia basics on the Sugar Angels.” 

“I watched every season,” the girl said, raising her chin.

“Oh, yeah? How many times?”

“16 times.”

Tsuna smirked. “47 and still counting.” 

That got the little sucker. The girl furrowed her brows before huffing indignantly. Her grip only tightened around the bag. “Just because you watched it 47 times doesn’t mean you’re a true fan.” 

“ _Try_ me.”

It was as if a bomb detonated.

“In Season 3, Episode 12, Kyoko-chan goes to save Bluebell-chan and Yuni-chan in the Cave of Shadows and fought her way to get them. Who were they?

Tsuna smirked, pushing up his sunglasses. “What a dumb question. She only fought Carcassa before knocking her out with her beautiful Hyper Heart Flames.” 

The little girl sniffed. “Not bad.” 

“Season 5, Episode 2, Yuni-chan had the choice to either sacrifice herself or become a weapon. What was her method of death?”

“You’re stupid, Onii-san. Yuni-chan never went through with it because she was too scared and asked Bluebell-chan to keep her soul in her Mare Ring.” 

“Oh, so you’re not just a dumb brat.” 

“Maybe you’re not stupid.”

A beat of silence passed.

“I still want it! Give it to me!”

“No! I found it first!” 

“Respect your damn elders!” 

“Finders keepers!” 

They tugged both ends of the candy bag, pulling one way and the other, when someone suddenly said, “Tsuna, what are you doing?”

The little girl gasped, accidentally letting go of the bag. Tsuna pumped his fist in the air. “Ha! Take that, you brat!” Tears sprung up in the little girl’s eyes, making him scoff. “That won’t work on me.”

He widened his eyes when Reborn snatched the bag out of his hand and passed it onto the little girl with a slight smile. “I apologize for my friend there,” he said. “Here.”

Eyeing the bag warily, the little girl took it wordlessly, bowed to Reborn with shy thanks, and ran off to her oblivious mother nearby. Tsuna sputtered out some unintelligible words, looking back and forth between the girl and Reborn. “You—Why did you—What—How _could_ you?”

He winced when Reborn smacked him over the head. “You’re ridiculous,” the man said. “Stop humiliating yourself.”

Grimacing, Tsuna rubbed his head—Reborn was way too strong for his own good—and glared at the little girl, who just stuck out her tongue, tears gone. Tsuna gasped. “Reborn, she—” 

Before he could continue, Reborn dragged him out of the aisle. “You’re 24-years-old, Tsuna. Your life will never get better with the way you’re acting.”

Tsuna rolled his eyes. “Please, tell me something I don’t know.” Reborn suddenly stopped in his step, making Tsuna bump into his back. The brunet wrinkled his nose. “Don’t you ever get hot? Who wears suits in the summer?”

“Well-functioning, mature human beings.”

“You’re not a human being,” Tsuna mumbled under his breath. 

He perked up at the sound of crinkling bags. His jaw dropped when Reborn held out _three_ of the Sugar Angels filled-in sweets: strawberry for Kyoko, blue raspberry for Bluebell, and orange for Yuni. “You—How did you—”

Reborn raised them high in the air just as Tsuna pounced for them. He landed against the man’s chest with a grunt before tiptoeing to get a hold of the sweet candies. Damn their height difference. “Reborn, give them to me!” he said. 

“ _If_ you do three things for me,” Reborn said, smirking. 

“What? You know what, just give ‘em to me and I’ll act like you exist sometimes!”

Reborn didn’t falter. “One, you’re going to make me seven suits, not five, _with_ my input.”

Tsuna furrowed his brows. “Fine, whatever.” He giggled when Bluebell’s bag dropped into his hands. “Bluebell-chan, you’re so pretty! I’ll take good care of you, promise.” 

“Second, you’re coming in with me tomorrow to my shoot.”

“Yeah, yeah, just give me!” Yuni’s bag plopped into his awaiting hands. “Ah, sweet, adorable Yuni-chan. Onii-san will take good care of you!”

“Third, you will participate in the Ukiyo Boutique Fashion Show.”

“Okay, can I have Kyoko-chan now, please?”

It seemed as if his life rolled even further downhill from there as Kyoko’s bag fell into his hands. However, it was already too late. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, peeps: Reborn. :^)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	6. Chapter 6

" _Pure, intense emotions. It's not about designs. It's about feelings."_  – Alber Elbaz

* * *

Somehow, in inevitable fashion, Tsuna found himself cleaning the kitchen and cooking dinner while Haru and Reborn were probably making out on the couch. He shuddered at the mental image. Haru had her share of boyfriends but no one could really handle her spontaneity (or him). It wasn't like Tsuna thought that Reborn was out of her league, but Haru deserved better.

Every few minutes, Tsuna would peek at them to make sure there wasn't any funny business going on, but it seemed relatively safe. Maybe, kind of, sort of. Haru was clearly smitten with Reborn—well, Tsuna knew that ever since the man started his oh-so-brilliant career—and seemed to be eating up his words like a rabid junkie.

Yawning, Tsuna stretched his arms in the air, feeling some bones in his back pop. "Food's done, children," he said blandly, setting up the dishes.

He made  _spaghetti alle vongole_  just for kicks (actually, no, not really; Haru made him and he couldn't really deny her, could he?) and filled up two plates before setting them on the bar counter. Humming to himself, he brought out Natsu's cat food and poured some in an orange bowl. Only a handful portion came out.

"Well," Tsuna said, "at least you're not going to starve tonight."

Natsu licked his hand in reassurance before chowing down on his food. Smiling, Tsuna petted him and cooed. "Aren't you the sweetest thing around? My only ray of light in this hell."

"Tsuna?" Haru said, taking a seat on a bar stool. "Aren't you eating?"

Tsuna stood up to wash his hands in the sink. "Nope. Did you know that servants eat after their lords and ladies do? Kind of harsh, but such is life."

Haru furrowed her brows. "Tsuna, y—"

"Besides," Tsuna said, gesturing at the pile of Tupperware containers, "what about these poor cupcakes?" He placed a hand on his hip and eyed the different assortments of the little deserts he poured his heart into. "Someone's gotta eat 'em."

"You're  _not_  eating cupcakes for dinner," Haru said. "They're not even considered a  _meal_."

"But it's such a waste."

"Then you shouldn't have made so much in the first place!"

Tsuna gasped scandalously. "Are you blaming the victim here? How could you, Haru? I thought you were better than that." He opened the pantry to get some wine glasses; his fingers twitched when he almost grabbed a third one before he left it alone. He grabbed the bottle of Frascati that Reborn had bought and brought them over. "Besides,  _I_ have a job now."

"You have a week," Haru deadpanned. "Just sit down and eat."

Pouring two glasses, Tsuna slid them to Haru and Reborn across the counter when the other man snatched his wrist. "Eat, Tsuna," he said.

"I'm not the dog here," Tsuna said, rolling his eyes. "Let go. Besides, I only made two servings."

He didn't know how the fuck Reborn did what he did, but in the next second he found himself sitting in-between the man's legs. Blinking, he looked at a gaping Haru. "Did you just see what I just saw?" he said. "'cause I didn't see anything."

Haru flushed before digging in her meal. "J—Just eat, Tsuna!"

Tsuna tried to get out of Reborn's hold but the man's arm was tight around his waist. "Let me go, you fiend!"

Unfazed, Reborn just swirled some spaghetti around his fork. "Not until you've eaten."

"Since when did you become my mother?" Tsuna said, kicking Reborn's long legs. "I'm warning you."

The small crinkling of bags instantly drew Tsuna's attention to Reborn's hand, his fork resting on the plate. His eyes widened. "W—Where did you get that?" he said, trying to snatch them away. "I hid them!"

Reborn shook the Sugar Angels candy bags above his head. "If you don't eat, I'm confiscating these."

Tsuna froze. "You wouldn't."

Reborn raised a brow but his lips twitched into a small smirk. "Oh, are you testing me?"

Sensing defeat, Tsuna slumped against the counter. "Haru," he whined, "help me."

"You're on your own," Haru said, not looking at him. "Also, this is really good."

Tsuna huffed. "I hate you, both of you."

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He quickly snatched it before Reborn could and checked the caller ID, deflating when he saw that it was Mami's mother. Damn it, he had hoped that Timoteo would call so he could let him hear Reborn's public execution up-close and personal.

"Do you mind?" Tsuna said, struggling in Reborn's grasp.

"I don't," Reborn said.

Tsuna deadpanned. "I meant, do you mind letting me go, idiot."

Reborn hummed to himself, as if the bastard was actually considering his request. "I wouldn't mind"—he shook the candy bags—"throwing these out."

Tsuna tried to headbutt Reborn's chin but the man had always been some sort of secret ninja and managed to dodge it. The sudden whiplash made Tsuna dizzy. Cursing under his breath, he picked up the call. "Hello?" he said in a normal voice.

"Oh, Sora-san!" Mrs. Kozato said. "Am I bothering you?"

Tsuna forced on a smile. "No, not at a—" He nearly choked when Reborn practically shoved his fork in his mouth and gently took it out, forcing him to chew the spaghetti. "What a—"

"Um, Sora-san, perhaps I should call at a later time."

"No, everything's fine! This is the best time to call!" Tsuna jabbed his elbow in Reborn's stomach when he said "best" and mentally cursed at the man's abs. "Is there something you needed?"

Mrs. Kozato still sounded uncertain but continued speaking. "Ah, I see. Well, I was wondering if you had any kind of portfolio to possibly show us." She laughed nervously. "You see, this was quite sudden and my husband is a little, well, I guess you can say, doubtful about my actions."

Haru gave Tsuna a questioning look, which he returned with a peace sign, much to her annoyance. "Of course I do," he said. "So, what are we talking about here? What do you need?"

There was some murmuring in the background, most likely the husband talking. Tsuna's mind wandered to what Mrs. Kozato said earlier. Well, technically, he wasn't a designer or anything. He didn't want to the job or get involved in the field to begin with so…yeah, no portfolio.

"Excuse me for a moment," he said. "I'll be back right before you know it." He rested his phone against his shoulder and looked at Haru. "Quick question: what exactly did you tell her?"

Haru blinked. "Why? Who is it?"

"Mami's mom."

"What? Why? What did she say?"

"She—No, her hubby wants to see if I'm legit, which I'm not by the way, do I have to remind you this every time?"

Haru's brow twitched. "What  _exactly_  did she say, Tsuna?"

Tsuna was prepared this time when Reborn brought another fork of spaghetti to his lips. Grumbling, he opened his mouth and let the man feed him. "Portfolio," he said. "Also, I would've choked to death, idiot. You're paying for my funeral services and I better have the greatest tombstone ever with the words: I told you so. Make note of it." With that, he returned to his phone. "Yes, is there anything else you need?"

"Oh, my— _we_  were just wondering how soon you can show us your portfolio."

"Any kind in particular?"

"Well, since I had asked for a dress, I was wondering if you had any on those."

Tsuna smiled. "That's no problem at all. I'll send them in tomorrow. Just shoot me a text with your email and everything's peachy."

"Ah, we—I was hoping to meet you and discuss more about…everything. Is tomorrow morning okay?"

"Tomorrow morning's a wonderful—" Tsuna grimaced when Reborn pinched his leg. "—lly bad time." He laughed to distract himself from the pain and mentally pinned the bullseye mark on Reborn's back. He was going to  _kill_  him. "How about any other time besides the morning?"

"Oh, well, we have time in the evening if that's alright with you."

"Perfect." Tsuna leaned away from Reborn's fork. "What is your preferred time?"

"Is 7 too late for you? I'd like to meet at Nina's Café. Do you know where that is?"

"Yes, all perfect and great. I'll have to go now. You know, busy and all."

"Oh, of course! I do apologize. Thank you very much, Sora-san. Ah, and please bring your portfolio then."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night. Send my regards to Mami-chan." Tsuna hung up before the woman could say a word. He sighed, taking a bite from Reborn's fork and chewing miserably. "I think I want to retire now, Haru."

Haru stared at him in disbelief. "You didn't even  _start_  yet."

Tsuna shrugged. "Who knows if I'll even get the job? Also"—he looked up to glare at Reborn—"I  _felt_  that. I'm going to do a hundred times worse to your pretty face."

"If I remember correctly, today's garbage day," Reborn said.

Tsuna crossed his arms over his chest. "Worst daddy in the world. You're fired."

Haru choked on her wine in the background and quickly grabbed a napkin. Tsuna almost grabbed Reborn's cup before deciding against it. He wiggled in Reborn's hold. "I want water," he deadpanned.

"Just drink this," Reborn said, handing him his cup.

Tsuna swatted it away, almost spilling it if Reborn didn't have a firm grip. "You're a terrible person, feeding babies alcohol."

"Right," Reborn said. "Babies drink milk."

Haru entered a small coughing fit. "A—Are you sure that there's nothing I should know about? Actually, never mind. I don't want to know."

Tsuna wrinkled his nose. " _He_  said it, not me. And there's nothing between us. I met sunshine here like, what, once in my lifetime?"

"Twice," Reborn said. "Three, including now."

Tsuna rubbed his chin. "Huh. Well, I don't really care. That's already zero times too many and I was serious about getting water. Let me go, you brute."

"Erm, Tsuna doesn't drink, Reborn-san," Haru said, unsure if she should add in her input or not.

"Five years sober," Tsuna deadpanned. "Can I get my reward now, daddy?"

Haru just covered her ears and shook her head. "Oh my God, Tsuna! Stop calling him that!"

"Right. I fired him. Can you let go now? I'm going to die from dehydration."

"You barely finished half the plate," Reborn said, holding up his fork. "That's not good enough."

"I hope you choke and reincarnate into a clam so I can eat you."

A glint shone in Reborn's eyes as Haru squeaked. "Oh?"

"Haru, I'm not the one with the dirty thoughts here. By the way, did I tell you how much I disapprove your relationship with the Devil? You need holy water,  _so_  much holy water."

Tsuna tugged against Reborn's arm but it didn't budge. Okay, he was going to make a small gym in his living room. Muscles were disgusting but he needed some if he wanted to survive.

" _If_ you finish half the plate," Reborn said.

"If you finish half the plate," Tsuna mimicked terribly, rolling his eyes. He grabbed Reborn's fork and split a single noodle of spaghetti to the side. "There. I'll eat that much."

Reborn snatched the fork back and separated more portion to the side. "This much."

"Haru, do you want some?"

"Nope," Haru said, bringing her plate to the sink. "I'm good."

"I hate you…"

Haru just gave him a sweet smile. "I love you, too."

And thus began Tsuna's wretched conquest of spaghetti, courtesy to the very demon that he vowed to kill once he was finished.

* * *

Sadly, Haru had prevented Tsuna from committing homicide by holding a pair of scissors over his precious collection. Natsu hadn't even helped much, too terrified of Reborn to even come  _near_  the man. Sighing, Tsuna just hugged his Sugar Angels candy bags that he procured from Reborn and skipped to the so-called Forbidden Room, otherwise known as "The Room that Timoteo Calls On For His Own Convenience".

He had grabbed the key from his bedroom dresser with lots of Haru's nagging to get his ass moving and dragged his feet to the Forbidden Room. Well, at least he had his sweet Sugar Angels to accompany him. When he opened the door, he turned on the lights, revealing a room bigger than his living room.

The blue drapes covered the large windows that overlooked more of the Tokyo city. Some half-opened boxes were pushed to the side, filled with different-colored and patterned fabrics. A drafting table with a lamp and cutting map was near the windows. An orange cupholder held a ruler, some pens and pencils, and two erasers. There were a few naked mannequins near the sewing machine, two female and two male body sizes. Some boxes filled with muslin sheets sat underneath them. An ironing board was folded neatly against the white walls where there were shelves of various sewing tools: fabric shears, dressmaker pins, tape measures, needles and threads, and rulers.

This room had been his father's studio. Sometimes Tsuna could hear him and his mother chatting softly in the background while he played around with the colorful fabrics, their laughter and sweet words warming up the room.

Now it was just cold.

Scratching his head, he crouched to dig through some boxes underneath the sewing machine. "Haru," he said, opening one, "do you remember if I doodled on anything? Even a stick figure will help."

He could hear footsteps behind him and turned to see Reborn at the doorway. "You're not Haru." He pushed the box back before opening another. "Haru! Darling! Sweetheart! Honey!"

Tsuna smiled when he heard Haru's aggravated groan as she drew closer. " _What_?" she said.

"Any doodles you remember?" Tsuna said.

"I don't know," Haru said. "Just draw some random stuff. You're good at that."

"You got me in this mess in the first place." Haru just glared at him, making him raise his hands in mock-surrender. "My silence shall be guaranteed from now on, Your Majesty. Carry on. Oh, and take him with you, please."

She didn't even stay long enough for him to finish his sentence. Tsuna huffed. "You're a terrible presence in this house," he said to Reborn, returning to his box. "Also, party's over. You should go home."

"This is Iemitsu's studio," Reborn said.

Tsuna slightly tensed, but didn't stop looking through the sheets of papers inside the box. They were all old notes his father had left behind with some of his mother's neater handwriting on the side. "Do I have to rephrase? Allow me: leave."

Reborn didn't even seem fazed. "Do you know the first thing Iemitsu told me before I started my career?"

Tsuna stood up and popped open Bluebell's candy bag. "Pass. Not interested."

"Once you put your heart into something, it's difficult to let it go." Tsuna unintentionally froze. Reborn continued, his steps drawing closer behind him. "Even if you try to find a way out, you don't really do, and it just pulls you back in without you knowing."

" _Sometimes you tell yourself no, Tuna-fishy, but your heart, right here, keeps telling you to keep going because deep inside you know there's something more waiting for you, something greater than you could ever imagine!"_

Tsuna pursed his lips. "My father was an idealist." Face blank, he turned around to gaze back at Reborn's dark eyes. "And did you want a prize for remembering a couple of words from years ago? Even a kindergartner could do that."

"And I'm being realistic," Reborn said in that aggravatingly calm tone of his. "I know you're not stupid, Tsuna, but you're delusional and spoiled. You're smart enough to know that Timoteo can do more than cutting your petty allowances."

"My parents' money is mine."

Reborn glanced down at the candies in Tsuna's hands. The brunet hugged them closer to his chest, his eyes narrowing. "You've spent it on things you don't need," the man said.

"You don't know what I want or need, sunshine," Tsuna said. "Also, last time I checked, you were  _leaving_."

Reborn didn't budge. "Your father was one of the greatest designers of his generation and your mother was an exceptionally talented seamstress. You have those gifts in your blood. It'd be a waste for you to not expand on them, especially at your current age."

"You talk too much. Get out."

"I'm giving you the opportunities that you need to better yourself and get your act together."

Tsuna placed the candy bags on the table before shoving Reborn out the door. "You need help," he said. "So much fucking help. Now, get out!"

Surprisingly, Reborn moved instead of being a stubborn prick. He glanced over his shoulder. "Don't forget about tomorrow. 7 AM."

"Haru, take him out!" Tsuna said before closing the door shut.

His blood pulsed faintly in his ears and his heart thumped fast and hard against his aching chest. Exhaling shakily, he snatched the candy bags and plopped down on the stool in front of the drafting table. "Fucking bastard," he mumbled under his breath, chewing on a blue-raspberry chewy candy. "Can't mind his own damn business and shut up. Haru, make sure to kick him when he leaves!"

There was no response. Tsuna sighed. He stood up and yanked the drapes back, revealing the starry night sky and the city's colorful lights. A balcony was just outside, big enough for two people. Tsuna clicked his tongue, which craved for a cigarette. Too bad Haru had thrown them all out a few years ago. Maybe he could sneak some of that wine later tonight when Haru was sleeping.

He slapped his cheeks. "Come on, Tsuna," he said. "Get your shit together."

When he realized what he just said, he groaned and messed up his hair even more. Goddamn Reborn, goddamn Timoteo, goddamn every living, breathing being on this earth—except Haru—to hell. Why couldn't they just  _leave_  him alone?

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Tsuna pulled open the drawer underneath the drafting table and took out a couple of sheets of paper. With a pencil in hand, he began to sketch, ignoring the way his heart calmed down considerably once the graphite's tip touched the paper.

Soon, the noise of the distant city drowned out around him, and he could hear his parents' hushed words envelop him like a warm embrace…

* * *

He didn't know when he fell asleep. All Tsuna could remember was the smell of colored markers, graphite, and rubber. Someone was shaking his shoulder, the sensation faint, until Tsuna's eyes fluttered open. He squinted through his blurry vision before closing his eyes again. Sleep was much needed, thank you very much. Someone was talking above him but he couldn't make out who it was.

Groaning, he buried his face deeper in the crook of his arm. "Go 'way…need sleep, 'aru…"

There was a moment of silence as Tsuna slowly drifted back to sleep. He could hear the distant sound of papers rustling beside him, making him huff and turn the other way.

"Wake up, Tsuna."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. That voice…was not Haru's. He slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What are you doin' 'ere?" he said, swaying a bit on his chair. His back hurt. Ah, he shouldn't have slept here.

Reborn, dressed in a white-and-blue striped shirt and beige dockers, steadied him by gripping his shoulder. "It's twenty past 7," he said. "Get up and get dressed."

Tsuna's head tipped forward before being saved by Reborn's stomach. The man smelled faintly like espresso and spices. "What…?"

"You promised that you'd be coming to my shoot today," Reborn said, gesturing at Yuni's empty bag, "for her."

Tsuna's mind was still sluggish so it took a minute or two to process what Reborn just said. When it finally clicked, he could only say, "Oh…"

"So get up," Reborn said. "We're late."

Grumbling under his breath, Tsuna cursed at himself and at Reborn. "I'm the victim here," he said, stumbling to his feet. "How did you get in?"

"1234 is not the most secure passcode in the world. It's pathetically simple."

"'cause I swear, if you tried to pull anything with Haru, that's just giving me more reason to kill you."

Reborn raised a brow. "I didn't."

"You really think I can believe anything you say?" Tsuna brushed past him for the door. "You're lucky I'm too tired to beat you to the ground right now. But trust me, once I get ready, you're going to hell!"

He proceeded to brush his teeth miserably in the bathroom, going at the slowest pace possible just to annoy Reborn. Tsuna still wore the same clothes from yesterday but didn't change out of them once he finished washing up. Feeling a little better, he yawned and stretched his arms in the air.

"Change your clothes," Reborn said.

"Don't wanna."

Tsuna grunted when Reborn suddenly hauled him over his shoulder and carried him to his bedroom. "Let me go, jackass! I will sue your ass and drain all of your stupid net worth before you can even say—oof!"

Reborn tossed him on his bed and starting digging through his dressers. "Have some respect for yourself," he said, tossing some clothes at Tsuna's face. "And a better wardrobe."

Tsuna rolled his eyes as he plopped back on his bed. "I  _always_  have respect for myself. What do you mean?"

He yelped when Reborn kicked his leg. "Hurry up," the man said. "Before I do something worse."

Rubbing the sore spot, Tsuna winced. "Yeah, I'm terrified." He looked down at the clothes that Reborn had thrown at him: a white shirt, blue shorts, and a thin, lightweight button up jacket with the sleeves rolled up. He grimaced. "What is this?"

"Clothes." Tsuna grunted when Reborn flicked his forehead. "Change and make me coffee."

Tsuna was going to switch his non-existent career to murderer.

* * *

Kintsugi Magazine was like the Japanese version of Vogue. Tsuna looked up at the tall building—it was the tallest in the city, figures—and gazed at the golden letters emboldened on top. Yawning, he slammed Reborn's car door shut with more force than necessary, but sadly, it didn't break. Not even a crack. He'd have to invest in that mini-gym once he got some money.

"Why am I here?" Tsuna deadpanned when they entered the building. Well, it was more like Reborn dragging him and him acting like deadweight, which was still nothing to the man's strength.

Everyone stared at them strangely but quickly looked away when Tsuna hissed at them. If he wasn't wearing his sunglasses, they would also  _burn_. Reborn dragged him inside the elevator and pressed a button. Tsuna huffed. "Are you deaf?" he said. "I asked you a question."

"You'll stay put," Reborn said, not facing him. "Don't forget the promises you made."

Tsuna crossed his arms over his chest. "They were bribes."

Reborn smirked. "You weren't complaining."

Tsuna cupped his cheeks and swooned. "They tasted  _good_! I can't deny you there. Ah, Bluebell-chan had the best flavor."

The elevator dinged open then. Tsuna mentally groaned when Reborn snatched his arm before he could stay behind. For having met the guy three times, Reborn could read him pretty well. Mentally, Tsuna thought about throwing Reborn off the building. He peered through the glass windows, looking over Midori. They were pretty high up, definite KO.

"You're going to pick some models to showcase at the Ukiyo Boutique Fashion Show," Reborn said, pausing in his step.

Tsuna stared at him for a minute before bursting out laughing. "W—What?" he said, clutching his stomach. "Are you—What?" He continued laughing until tears sprung up in his eyes. "Oh, this is rich. You are, by definition, the zaniest guy I've ever met, sunshine. Do I get points for that word? Zaniest?" Tsuna waved Reborn off. "What makes you think I'll do anything you say at this point?"

Reborn's lips slightly twitched. "Timoteo isn't the only one who can ruin your life. I can buy your building right now and kick you and your little friend out. I might even keep your cat."

Tsuna pulled down his sunglasses to level the man with a glare. "You wouldn't."

Reborn took out his phone from his pocket and showed Tsuna  _very_  clearly the building owner's name. "I would. And that wouldn't be anything close to what I have in mind."

In the end, again, Tsuna trailed behind Reborn and thought about pushing the man out the window right then and there.

Everyone on the shoot immediately stopped when Reborn entered the room. 100% of the female population blushed and stuttered out "good morning" when he walked past them. Well, there was one womanm with long, dark auburn hair in low pigtails, who didn't even glance his way while re-applying some blush on a model's cheek. Tsuna gave her a mental golden star.

"Reborn!" someone said.

Tsuna stepped to the side to avoid a woman throwing her arms around Reborn's neck. A food table caught his eye and was that a banana muffin? He snuck away and promptly helped himself. Oh, there were small cups of fruits, too. The table had all the breakfast pastries you could ever imagine.

"I apologize for being late," Reborn said, easily removing the cooing woman off of him.

The director of the shoot shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Reborn-san. We were just starting. Please follow Yamada-san and Miyamoto-san to get changed."

Tsuna munched on the warm muffin and internally screamed. It was  _good_. He didn't react when a large hand plopped down on his head.

"Stay put," Reborn said. "I hope you don't mind me bringing a friend here, Fujita-san."

The director blinked but quickly recovered from his shock. "Oh, that's not a problem at all, Reborn-san! Anyone who's a friend of yours is always welcomed here!"

Tsuna probably ate three muffins and four fruit cups by this point. Patting his stomach, he released a content sigh.

"Hey," someone said.

Tsuna looked up to see Bianchi, a popular Italian model, scowling at him. She was fairly tall with long, light pink hair pulled back in a messy bun and green eyes. Wearing some pale lavender cigarette pants and a white, short-sleeved lace top, she almost looked like the perfect casual businesswoman.

"What's your relationship with Reborn?" Bianchi said in flawless Japanese.

Tilting his head, Tsuna handed her a banana muffin. "Want a muffin?"

Bianchi clicked her tongue. "What? Get that away from me!"

Tsuna pulled the muffin away before she could smack it out of his hand. "Don't waste food like that, sweetheart. Also, you're not you when you're hungry." He looked her up and down. "You lost weight."

Red dusted Bianchi's cheeks. "You—What did you just call me?"

Tsuna munched on the muffin. "Sweetheart. Aw, what? Sad that I'm not the Devil over there?"

Bianchi furrowed her brows. "What?"

"Look behind you."

Reborn returned then, wearing a light, taupe-colored suit and a lavender-and-white checkered tie, immediately eliciting some squeals from the staff members. Bianchi left Tsuna like the wind, swooning over Reborn like her life depended on it. He caught a whiff of her perfume and wrinkled his nose. It was the same one on Reborn yesterday. Shrugging, Tsuna busied himself with more muffins.

"Okay, everyone!" Fujita said, clapping his hands. "Pose 1 standby. Akiyama-san."

The photographer gave the director a thumbs-up. Tsuna yawned while camera flashes light brightened up the room even more each second.

"Good, great!" Akiyama said, snapping more pictures. "Bianchi-san, please look up at Reborn-san. Give me, hm, something sensual? No smiling! Perfect! Ito-san, turn on the fan! Low setting, please!"

Yawning again, Tsuna sauntered over to the food table to see all the muffins gone. He must've ate it all. Oh, well. There were some croissants though and more fruit cups.

"Okay, M.M-san, could you hold Reborn's other arm and look at the camera?" Akiyama said.

It was as if M.M's gaze was drawn to Tsuna like a magnet. Tsuna slightly smirked. He pointed at M.M, made a motion of blabbing her mouth with his hand, gestured at the strawberry in his other hand, and crushed it. The color immediately drained from M.M's face.

Turning away, Tsuna snickered under his breath.

"M.M-san, are you okay?" Akiyama said. "Ladies, I think you used too much powder. Where's Spanner?"

Tsuna wandered off the set and headed for the bathroom. All of the stalls were unoccupied and the lights were more tolerable. It vaguely smelled like sweet peas and…candy. A tall, blond man was at the sink, washing his hands. He was definitely handsome, wearing some green cargo shorts, a white tank top, and some boots. There was some kind of tattoo on his neck.

Humming to himself, Tsuna turned on the closest sink and washed of the strawberry stain off his hand.

"Are you alright?"

Tsuna looked up to see the foreigner speaking to him. His Japanese was impeccable. Tsuna's lips curled into a smile. "I'm perfectly fine," he said. "Just showing an annoying carrot a little lesson. No biggie."

The man tilted his head. "Annoying carrot? Is that a reference to something?"

Tsuna waved him off. "It's nothing you can worry your pretty head about. Oh, hey." He peered closer at the little white stick hanging out of the man's lips. "Is that a lollipop? What flavor? They have  _lollipops_  here? And I thought banana muffins were already good enough."

The man pulled out a red wrench-shaped lollipop. "Cherry."

Tsuna widened his eyes and looked at the candy from every which angle. "Wh _at_? I've never seen that before! Is it good?"

The man dug in his pockets and fished out a wrapped lollipop, the same one that he had. "Would you like one?"

Tsuna clapped his hands together. "Really?" He tugged the plastic wrapper off and popped the candy in his mouth. The flavor wasn't too sour or sweet. "It's good! Where'd you get it?"

"I made it," the man said, drying his hands off with some paper towels. He handed one to Tsuna, who accepted it with a nod of thanks. "Eating sugar keeps my brain efficient."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Tsuna said solemnly. "My sweet Sugar Angels helped me last through the night and forget about the Devil."

The man immediately perked up. "You're a fan of the Sugar Angels?"

Tsuna raised his hands in the air in mock-celebration. "Yes! Kyoko-chan is so beautiful and Yuni-chan is the most sweetest out of all three! Bluebell-chan is adorable whenever she fights her enemies! All 'you go down with splat!'"

"It was a real shame when they got rid of the mecha suits in season 3."

Tsuna gasped. "I thought I was the only one! Those suits were actually functional!"

The man nodded enthusiastically despite his blank face. "The specs were valid. I wish I could get my hands on the blueprints."

Grinning, Tsuna skipped out of the bathroom with the man trailing behind him. "I never thought I'd actually meet a fan in a depressing place like this," he said, twirling his lollipop over his tongue. "Hey, what's your name?"

The man smiled slightly and stuck out his hand. "Spanner."

Tsuna shook his hand. His fingers were callous and warm against his. "Sora. Pleasure."

An idea suddenly popped in his head. Well, Haru had said that he could sometimes be smart when he actually put in the effort but he liked to think that he was always better than people. Tsuna tugged Spanner behind him and headed for the set. "So, as a fellow fan to another, is there something that you could do for me?"

"That depends," Spanner said, unbothered by the physical contact.

"It will either change your life or ruin it, but I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that I bet on the former."

When Tsuna entered the set, the models were on break. He quickly found Reborn who was reviewing the photos on the camera and headed his way.

"Excuse me," a worker said. "You can't come h—"

Tsuna just brushed past her. "Were you not here for orientation, sweetie? Get with the program."

"S—Spanner?" a guy at the computer said, fixing his glasses. "What's going on?"

Tsuna grinned up at Reborn. "I'm done picking now." Reborn raised a brow. Tsuna gestured at Spanner who just shrugged at his computer friend. "I'll have Lollipops here. Oh"—he pointed at the makeup artist who just furrowed her brows—"and Pigtails. I guess I'll take Computer Guy, too, just 'cause."

Sure, Tsuna was technically bribed to do this but that didn't mean he had to  _try_. (He was still going to kill Reborn though.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few fun facts: "Ukiyo" in Japanese means "the floating world" and "living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life". "Kintsugi" means "the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver and making something broken beautiful" or "taking something imperfect or broken and make it even more beautiful than before".
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	7. Chapter 7

" _I think there is beauty in everything. What 'normal' people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it."_  – Alexander McQueen

* * *

Everything came to a standstill, and the room felt empty despite the people around them. The stage had already been set with only Tsuna and Reborn under the spotlight. Crossing his arms over his chest and making the first move, Tsuna jerked his thumb at Spanner standing behind him. "You heard me, sunshine," he said. "Don't pull the deaf card on me. Everyone knows you're the most perfect human being on the planet. So what's the verdict?"

Several workers whispered amongst themselves, gesturing none-too-subtly at Tsuna as if he was some sort of strange specimen. Bianchi just looked red in the face while M.M was a little pale. Then again, no one ever talked to Reborn this way. Shame since the man's pedestal was way too high for his own good. Reborn quirked a brow, not saying a word, and studied Tsuna for a second longer. It felt like five years. No one spoke, as if they were the ones waiting for Reborn to respond. People should really mind their own business.

Rolling his eyes, Tsuna pulled down his sunglasses to peer at Reborn, his lips twitching into a smile. "Do you want me to say it again? I can but I don't really want to so you can see the dilemma here. Come on, chop-chop. The longer I stay here, my face will break out."

Reborn didn't betray anything on his face when he spoke, "Alright."

Tsuna huffed a small laugh, almost not believing what Reborn had said. Almost. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

Reborn resumed reviewing the photos on the camera, effectively dismissing him. "I look forward to it then. I'll send the details later." He glanced at Tsuna from the corner of his eye; the glint in those obsidian orbs was nothing reassuring but two could play this game. "I expect nothing more than perfection."

Tsuna smirked. "Perfection's my middle name. Forgive me for taking your title, O Holy One, but we all know you're slipping. Time is never kind on the old timers, is it?" He turned around, slipping his hands in his pockets. "I'm going to eat more muffins. There's no more." He winked at Spanner. "I'll see you later, Lollipops. Have  _fun_."

With that, he left the shoot leaving a much lasting impression than he had wanted.

* * *

After lounging around in the 2nd floor café for God knew how long, Tsuna checked the clock for the umpteenth time. The place was cozy but mainstream with round coffee tables and generic pastries. Although, their banana muffins were worth it; the piles of wrappers on his table were a testament to that. Three hours had passed and all he did was lie down on one of those fancy window seats and count how many dragon clouds passed by. There had only been two. Honestly, he could've ditched the place. Actually he did but Reborn was a creepy fucker and called him the moment he stepped out the door, none-too-subtly threatening him about inevitable homelessness.

Tsuna reached a hand towards the white, curved-in ceiling. "Down with the elite," he said, curling his hands into a fist. "May they make it rain and the peasants like me rejoice."

"What are you doing?"

Tsuna turned his head to see Pigtails chewing some gum with her arms crossed over her chest. "Has thy come to deliver sweet, merciful death to me, O Heavenly Angel?" he said.

Pigtails raised a brow. "Are you high?"

"Nee-san!" Computer Guy said, his eyes wide. He bowed towards Tsuna. "I'm sorry. Please ignore what my sister said! She—"

"Has no filter," Tsuna said, clasping his hands over his stomach. "It's fine." He winked at Pigtails who pursed her lips. "I like 'em plucky. Pun very intended."

Pigtails blew a purple bubble and popped it. "You're definitely high."

Tsuna sighed. "I wish, sweet sister, but we live in a cruel, unforgiving world. Although, if you do find some, let me know." He smiled at Spanner who sat down at the table. The man had slipped on a light cardigan that matched his green shorts. "Lollipops, I'm glad to see you alive."

Spanner smiled slightly, chewing another lollipop. "Likewise."

Computer Guy looked back and forth between them. "How do you know each other, Spanner?"

"Take a seat, children," Tsuna said, sitting upright, "and I'll tell you the story of how I met this wonderful man Lollipops."

Pigtails rolled her eyes but sat down anyways, her brother following suit a little nervously. Tsuna cleared his throat. "So I faced a terrible carrot monster who should've stayed ingrained in the dirt. Do you like that word? Ingrained? Really sticks with you, doesn't it? Anyways, I killed her strawberry friend and headed off to wash its sad blood from my delicate hand. And that is where I met Lollipops." He swooned a bit. "Fate has given me another gift. All is well in life."

Computer Guy and Pigtails just stared at him as if he just danced the mamba backwards on his hands. Spanner chuckled behind his fist, making Computer Guy gape at him. Suddenly, Pigtails snorted, draping her elbow on her chair. "Wait, were  _you_  the one who scared the hell out of M.M?"

Tsuna inspected his fingernails innocently. "I don't know what you mean."

Pigtails smirked. "Junko's a neat freak. I knew she wouldn't have made the mistake of putting on too much powder." She blew another bubble. "So it  _was_  you."

Tsuna leaned back against the blue cushions and placed his ankle on his other knee. "I don't kiss and tell, sweetheart."

Pigtails wrinkled her nose. "If you call me that again, I'll sock you the face."

"Nee-san!" Computer Guy said.

His sister ignored him, which seemed normal for them. "Irie Akiko. This is my little brother, Shoichi. You met Spanner. Now"—she tilted her head, her face blank—"who the hell are you?"

Shoichi pursed his lips, but just sipped his ice coffee instead of reprimanding his sister again. Tsuna smiled lightly. "Just call me Sora. What flavor is that one?"

Spanner took out the blue wrench lollipop from his mouth with a light pop. "Blueberry."

Tsuna oohed. "Can I get one, too?"

Shoichi choked on his drink when Spanner simply handed Tsuna his lollipop. "This is the last one. You can have it."

Tsuna cooed. "Such a gentleman. Take notes, children." He accepted the lollipop and slipped it in his mouth. It tasted like actual blueberries. "Tastes fantastic like always. If you leave this depressing place and open up a sweets store, count me in as your number one customer."

Spanner smiled faintly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Shoichi coughed to the side, his face red. "S—Spanner, that's not…"

Tsuna chuckled as he patted Shoichi's red hair. "Oh, don't worry. It's just the adults playing. You'll learn when you get older, my sweet fall child."

Akiko hummed to herself. "You're a fraud, aren't you?"

"Nee-san!"

"Tsk, tsk," Tsuna said, waving his finger. "You break my heart, sweetheart." He ignored Akiko's scowl. "I'm just a poor, hapless victim. Understand here that I'm chained to the Devil and there's only so much I can do. Don't give into your temptations, children, or else you'll regret too many things in your lives."

Akiko scrutinized him with sharp green eyes. Tsuna had to hand it to her though. She was a tough cookie. He mentally smiled. He liked the tough ones. They were much more fun. "So what's up with you?" she said. "The fact that Reborn of all people brought you here says something, but I didn't think he'd peg for a poser like you. What are you, some kind of sad billionaire lowlife?"

"He must've had a good reason, right?" Shoichi said to no one in particular. "Sora-san must be someone of high standing so…"

Though Spanner was busy with unwrapping an orange lollipop, Tsuna could tell he was listening. He smiled. The quiet ones were usually the ones to look out for. "Remind me to keep that in mind," he said, twirling his lollipop in his mouth. "I so do like people who revolt against the patriarchy. Although, I'm sad to say that I'm not a miserable billionaire lowlife." He smiled, showing some teeth. "I really have no interest in taking this seriously so you don't have to worry about playing dress-up. Although, I think Lollipops here  _might_  be an exception."

Akiko frowned. "Are you saying that this whole thing is a farce?"

"Oh no. The Ukiyami whatever it's called is an official event but I just don't have the heart in it to care. So you, my lovely children, don't have to worry about being eye candy for vapid people who should be doing better things with their lives. What's the saying? Beauty's only skin deep?"

Shoichi licked his lips. "Um, Sora-san, I don't want to be rude but…I've never heard of you in the industry. I was just wondering because, well, Reborn-san isn't someone to pick just  _anyone_  as my sister said." He glanced down at his lap. "If I may ask, can I inquire about…your relationship? You two seemed pretty familiar before…"

Tsuna smiled. It was a shame he had his sunglasses on because Shoichi would've been reduced to dust. "There is no relationship," he said. "Case closed." He huffed. "You children like gossip more than I thought. What a trivial hobby. Watching paint dry is infinitely better."

Akiko narrowed her eyes. "Then what's the point of us being here? You're just wasting our time."

"Oh, sweetheart, were you actually looking forward to it?" Tsuna leaned his cheek onto his fist. "I didn't take you as the type."

Shoichi flushed. "Well, I mean, Reborn-san…brought you so…"

"What do you do here again, Sho-chan?" Tsuna smiled. "Can I call you that?"

"Uh, I don't…"

"Come on. You can tell me anything." Tsuna grinned. "I don't bite."

Shoichi turned red. He quickly grabbed his iced coffee and sipped it as a distraction. Cute. Tsuna tilted his head. "You know, you're not that bad-looking up close." He took off his sunglasses and held it out to Shoichi who gaped at him. "Try this. Come on. It won't hurt."

After glancing nervously at his sister, Shoichi hesitantly took off his thick brown glasses and took Tsuna's pair. He slipped them on almost shyly while Tsuna hummed to himself, his lips curved into a small smile. "Not bad? What do you think, Lollipops?"

Spanner, who had been staring at Tsuna's face, turned smoothly to see his friend fumbling nervously with the sunglasses as if they were made out of glass. "It looks good on you, Shoichi."

Akiko pursed her lips. "You said your heart wasn't in it."

Tsuna smiled, closing his eyes. "I said my heart wasn't in the  _show_. Words matter, sweetheart. Open your eyes and broaden your mind as they say. Besides"—he picked up Shoichi's glasses and looked at it from every which way—"I like to look at pretty things. Is that a crime?"

"If you call me sweetheart one more time, I  _will_  sick you with a straw."

Tsuna oohed, not looking at Akiko's way. "I promise that my guts taste like taffy."

Akiko wrinkled her nose. "You're fucked up."

Tsuna grinned. "Only the best, angel."

"That's not any better, brat."

Tsuna gasped scandalously. "I'm not a brat." He stood up. "Look, I'm 170 cm. Not too big, not too small, and I'm 24-years-old. Your typical, average Japanese man." He leaned over the table and hummed under his breath, inspected Shoichi from a few angles. "You know, you should definitely think about wearing sunglasses. Maybe something with a more gold and brown hue." He picked up Shoichi's glasses and made a small face. "This is way out of date and makes your nose look too big."

Akiko slammed her hand on the table, making Shoichi yelp. "I thought you weren't  _interested_."

"Oh, this has nothing to do with the show," Tsuna said, waving her off. He switched Shoichi's glasses for his shades, slipping them back on. "I'm not cruel enough to not share advice. If I see something I don't like, I say it. Isn't that how you get your way in the world? Anyways, I'd appreciate it if you lay low about our project."

"Your nonexistent project," Akiko deadpanned.

Tsuna clapped his hands together. "Exactly. So if Reborn ever asks you about how we're doing, tell him to go fuck himself." Shoichi choked on his drink again while Akiko quirked a brow. Spanner huffed a small laugh. "And if he doesn't take that, well, I'm sure you children can bullshit your way out of small troubles so I'm not worried at all. Got it? Great."

Akiko grabbed her bag and stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. "There's nothing to tell when there's nothing we're working on. Thanks for wasting our time. Let's go, Shoichi."

Tsuna waved at her back. "Anytime, angel." Shoichi gave him a hesitant bow of apology, which he returned with a smile, before the siblings left. Tsuna glanced at Spanner who didn't follow them out. "And then there was one. You've been quiet, Lollipops. Care to throw in a thought or two?"

Spanner pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Your number would suffice."

Tsuna burst out into laughter. "Oh, you know how to get 'em. Really though, best pick-up line ever."

Spanner's lips twitched into a smile. "Is it? I'm glad."

Grinning, Tsuna propped his chin on his palm. "Oh, you're a clever one, aren't you?"

Spanner's smile didn't falter. "I don't know what you mean."

Tsuna peered over his sunglasses and fluttered his lashes. "You're really somethin', Lollipops."

Spanner tilted his head. "Why do you hide your eyes? They're beautiful."

Tsuna huffed a small laugh. "Let me rephrase that for you. Why do you hide your face? You're beautiful, handsome, charming, gorgeous, something along those lines. Now  _that's_  how you get 'em. Hook, line, and sinker. For a tech guy, you're not that much of a dunce."

Amused, Spanner leaned forward on his propped elbows, lacing his fingers together. "How did you know?"

Tsuna smiled coyly. "It wasn't a challenge. Your outfit didn't match their concept, even if you're easy on the eyes. Also, one of them was looking for you before while you were in the bathroom."

"You're not disappointed."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Why would I be?"

"You seem to have high expectations."

A bout of silence passed, lessened only by the customers' soft talk around them. Tsuna then chuckled. "Do I really? I thought that I was a fraud, a poser."

Spanner's calm composure didn't waver. His keen eyes looked more like fern green up close. "That's not what I said."

Tsuna shrugged. "It's what most people think." He took out his lollipop with a soft pop. "Listen, I don't care what you do. You can be some kind of cougar's pet for all I care, but it has nothing to do with me." He raised his hands. "I'm an all judgement-free zone. You do you is one of my two life's mottos."

Spanner smiled faintly. "And your other one?"

Tsuna laughed. "Fuck everything and anything that tries to get in your way." He grinned. "Figuratively, of course, but the other way is still an option."

Chuckling, Spanner unlocked his phone. "I will need your number then."

"Ah, yes, to get some more life wisdom. Of course." Tsuna clasped his hands together in prayer. "Also, this is embarrassing but I forgot my wallet so would you mind paying for my muffins? I'll pay you back, pinky promise."

Spanner blinked. "That's fine."

Tsuna smiled. "Well, aren't you the perfect gentleman? You're turning out into one of those one in a million kind of guys. You love the Sugar Angels, you love sweets, you even make them, you're hot—what else don't I know?"

Spanner chuckled. "Maybe you'll learn more the next time."

Tsuna grinned. "You really know how to move in, don't you? I like it. You, Lollipops, are my number one."

After Spanner paid his bill, Tsuna followed him out of the building with a small skip in his steps. Suddenly he whirled around. "Oh, you don't happen to know a place around here that sells good cat food, do you?"

* * *

After parking across Nina's Café, Tsuna didn't leave his car right away. Instead he drummed his fingers against the wheel, his mind wandering aimlessly to thoughts from hours ago. Cars drove past him, whooshing softly, and the pedestrians that walked by were a mesh of muted buzzes, clacking heels, and ringing phones. There was always the option of not going through with this; but there was Haru to think of, who believed so fiercely that he could do it and wouldn't take no for an answer. Tsuna's lips curled into a smile. Haru's faith was something that couldn't be broken down by any means. It was the only anchor he left after all. Also, he actually put some effort into the sketches last night because Haru could tell if he didn't try and he really didn't want to be nagged to death (or lose her to some shoddy apartment).

Humming the Sugar Angels' theme song softly under his breath, Tsuna grabbed his—well, Haru's black bag, slung it over his shoulder, and left the car. When he entered the large café, he was greeted with the smell of coffee, tea, and pastries. It was only 6:50 PM, but contrary to popular belief, Tsuna hated not being punctual. When a Sugar Angels' figurine auction was set for 11:59 PM, it better open at 11:59 PM on the dot and not 12 AM. He didn't see any signs of Mami or her mother around. Most of the tables were full of university students typing on their laptops and middle-aged women chatting over some coffee. He spotted a free booth next to a curtained window and quickly claimed the spot before anyone else could.

He yawned, taking out the manila folder with his designs, and tossed it on the glossy wood table. Immediately, he unlocked his phone and opened Sugar Angels' Bubble Pop. While waiting for the title screen to load, he hummed along to the cheery tune. Yuni's chibi sprite floated at the corner, shifting through cute poses, before the main menu popped up in a flurry of orange stars.

"Ah, more scores to beat today," Tsuna said, clicking the pink "Play" button. "Let's do our best, my sweet angels."

"Sora-nii!"

Tsuna smiled quickly, suppressing a sigh. "Mami-chan." He grunted when the little girl flung herself around his waist, almost toppling them over. "What a greeting. How much candy did you eat today?"

Mami giggled. "I didn't eat any candy today."

Tsuna patted her head. "That, sweet child, is a tragedy."

"What's a tragedy?"

"Mami-chan!" Hotaru came over quickly, dressed in a pink pencil skirt and matching suit jacket. "I'm so sorry, Sora-san. Mami-chan, I told you to stay next to Kaa-chan."

Tsuna waved a hand. "It's alright. She's a sweetheart anyways." He smiled down at Mami. "Wanna sit next to me, kiddo?"

Mami nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!" She hugged Tsuna's waist again, her eyes bright. "Are you going to show us pretty dresses? That's what Kaa-chan told me! Do you know how to make them? Will it be really pretty? Are you like Tou-chan?"

"Did somebody call my name?" a man said, carrying a tray of drinks. Tsuna recognized him immediately: Kozato Makoto, CEO of Simon, a fashion company that was slowly rising in the ranks since Tsuna's parents died. Despite the man's status, Makoto dressed plainly in a stark white polo shirt and beige pants. Tsuna had seen him once at Vongola's 50th Year Anniversary banquet Timoteo had forced him to attend when he was 16. They had never spoke.

Mami giggled. "I was just talking about Tou-chan!" Her whole face lit up when he handed her a slice of strawberry shortcake. "Wah, thank you, Tou-chan!"

Her father chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Of course, Mami." He looked towards Tsuna, who was a bit grateful that he had his sunglasses on. The man had been his father's rival and could probably recognize him without a doubt. "I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Kazoto Makoto."

Tsuna stood up and shook the man's calloused hand. He smiled. "Pleasure. I'm Sora."

Makoto chuckled as he sat down next to his wife across the table. "So it's like my wife said. No surname. I've also never heard of you."

Tsuna shrugged. "A little mystery doesn't hurt anyone." He smiled. "Wouldn't it save me some face if things don't go as planned?"

Hotaru smiled kindly. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine, Sora-san. My husband can just be picky sometimes. And here!" She handed him an iced coffee. "We weren't sure what you liked but please, take this."

Tsuna accepted it with a smile. "Thank you. And don't worry about it. I've heard about you, Kozato-san. I'll say, I'm a big fan of your 2013 Fall Showcase. Your fourth dress in the lineup, the A-line one, was a nice blend of red and sugar maple colors. Kudos for that." It had been his father's design and imagine Tsuna's shock in his small, 7-year-old mind when he saw it in a magazine in Timoteo's office.

Makoto scratched the back of his head. "Oh, thank you. That show was one of my personal favorites to work on. I'm glad that you enjoyed it! Did you study fashion design in school?"

Tsuna slid the manila folder across the table. "Everything you need to know about me is in there. Help yourself."

Mami bounced in her seat excitedly. "Oh, can I see them too, Tou-chan? I wanna see, I wanna see!"

Tsuna patted her head. "Calm down, kiddo. You'll see them soon. Come on, finish your cake."

Mami pouted. "Okay." She sat back down and chewed on her cake. She then perked up. "Do you want some, Sora-nii? I can share!"

"I'm good, sweetheart. Don't forget to chew slowly. We can't have you choking, can we?"

Hotaru and Makoto flipped through his sketches while he spoke with Mami; he eyed them from the corner of his eye as Mami chattered on about how good the cake was. Honestly, children should be protected for their pure innocence, one of the few things good in this world. Tsuna grabbed a napkin and gently wiped some cream from Mami's lips. "Now, now, Mami-chan, don't eat too fast or else you'll make a mess."

Mami giggled. "You're like Onii-chan! He says the same thing all the time." Her legs swung back and forth underneath the table. "I think Sora-nii and Onii-chan can be friends like me and Tomoko-chan!"

"Oh, really? And where's your Onii-chan?"

Mami pouted. "He's in school. He doesn't come unless it's the weekends, and today's only Thursday."

Tsuna smiled at her. "Well, two more days and he'll be right home, won't he? Think of it as a reward for Mami-chan's sweet patience."

Mami brightened up considerably. "Really? Okay, I'll try! Onii-chan's really funny, too! He falls and trips a lot but he's really, really nice! He gives me piggyback rides sometimes when I get tired."

"Sora-san, this is incredible," Hotaru said, raising her hand over her mouth. Her nails were dark pink. "I really like this one."

She pointed at a sketch of a female model, hands posed behind her messy bun and chin upturned, wearing a sleeveless royal blue dress with a long slit that showed off her thigh. A few strands of black hair fell over her cheeks. The most interesting part was the waist: the dress seemed to be tied by a bow until you looked more closely and noticed that it rippled down into a long, flowing skirt. A large, diamond choker necklace adorned her slim neck.

Tsuna leaned back against the yellow cushion. "I'm glad."

"You have impressive skills, Sora-san," Makoto said, studying the sketch closely. He rubbed his chin. "How old are you again?"

"24 and still rising."

Makoto shook his head. "Amazing." He smiled almost sheepishly. "I wasn't able to draw my own design until I was 26. You can say that I was a late bloomer."

Tsuna just smiled politely and sipped his iced coffee; it needed more sugar. Makoto moved onto the next page. It had a female model looking at a compact mirror while powdering her rosy cheeks. Her dirty blonde hair was tied into a low ponytail that reached her mid-back. She wore a sleeveless, light tan A-line dress that stopped short above her knees with a thick, double-O brown belt that hung loosely around her waist. A pair of brown, ankle-high high-heeled boots adorned her feet, and a bright yellow purse hung from her shoulder.

"You're very minimalistic," Makoto said.

Tsuna shrugged. "I can improvise. Setting the base is just as important as getting things together, don't you agree?"

When Makoto turned to the next sketch, Mami widened her eyes. "Oh, I like that one!"

The design was a female model with short, curly brown hair posing almost shyly at the camera, eyes lowered and hands clasped behind her back. She wore a light pink, off-shoulder dress that reached her calves. The upper bodice was made out of lace and a pure white fabric wrapped around her high waist. The chiffon skirt was poufy and sparkled with shiny white sequins. A pink ribbon was also tied around the model's neck.

Tsuna smiled. "The fun isn't over yet, kiddo. But hey, I made that with you in mind."

Mami turned to him with bright eyes. "Really?"

"Yup. Look here." Tsuna pointed at the white sash. "We can always add cherries here if you want and take out the lace if you don't like it. I think if it's a solid pink fabric, satin maybe, it'll be nicer to wear. Lace and cherries aren't really a good mix. Maybe, but who knows? We're going to have to test a lot of things out."

"These are all very beautiful, Sora-san," Hotaru said, looking at a few more designs. She smiled. "I knew you were talented the first time I met you. What do you think, honey?"

Makoto rubbed his chin. "They're good, I won't deny that, but they're not…quite what I had in mind. Is it possible to take these home for a better review?"

Tsuna closed the folder, making the couple jump. He smiled sweetly. "Oh, but these are originals and I don't make second-hand copies, Kozato-san. You see what I have now and that's all. I'm sorry about that but some like me are quite sensitive about copyright. Kids these days, you know? Pirating anything they can get their grubby hands on. Of course, I'm not saying that you're a thief." Makoto tensed. "A very good friend of mine stole some of my designs before and I learned to watch my back more since. You're a good man, I'm sure, but I don't throw away my trust like that blindly. I hope you understand where I'm coming from."

Hotaru frowned sympathetically; what an oblivious, kind woman. "Oh dear. I'm sorry to hear that. We take that very seriously at our company don't we, honey? We understand."

Makoto blinked before clearing his throat. "Ah, yes, we do. Plagiarism is unacceptable. I'm sorry about your friend, Sora-san." He smiled. "I hope you were able to sort it out."

Tsuna smiled, showing a bit of teeth. "Of course, I have. I'm not one to take the punches."

Mami gasped. "Someone hit you, Sora-nii? Who?"

Tsuna bopped her nose lightly. "Just a very bad person, Mami-chan. But don't worry. Nii-san wasn't the one who got hurt the most." He glanced at Makoto, who had tensed. "It's quite competitive, don't you think, Kozato-san? I'm sure you experienced some things back in your school days."

Hotaru huffed. "How terrible. People like your friend don't deserve anything if all they'll do is take others' hard work."

Tsuna nodded. "Preach, ma'am." He smiled down at Mami. "You have a great mother, Mami-chan."

Makoto's smile strained some more. "Yes. Competitive, yes very. Every field has their fair share of competition and it can get overwhelming. I'm glad to see you being able to do what you love, Sora-san. It looks like it was worth it."

Tsuna hummed to himself. "I suppose."

Hotaru suddenly nodded. "Honey, I think he's perfect."

Makoto blinked. "Eh? What do you mean? We haven't discussed it yet."

Hotaru pursed her lips. "Tomoko-chan's birthday is next Saturday and we don't have much time to find someone else. You and your designers are busy with the next showcase." Her eyes softened. "Besides, Mami-chan likes Sora-san very much."

"He's still a fresh face," Makoto muttered under his breath.

Hotaru lightly smacked his shoulder, making him gape. "You worry too much, honey. Trust me." She smiled at Tsuna. "If you don't mind, we'll gladly ask for your services! Although, I apologize for bringing this on you on such short notice. Will you be alright with that?"

"I'll live," Tsuna said.

Mami squealed. "Does that mean Sora-nii is making me a dress?"

Tsuna gave her smile. "If that's what your mother said, I'm all in." He groaned dramatically in pain when Mami tackled him into a hug. "Actually, I'll have to live through your hugs first before doing anything, kiddo."

Mami giggled. "You're funny, Sora-nii!"

When the couple rose, Tsuna followed suit, steadying Mami beside him. "I guess I'll see you again, Kozato-san. I'll make sure to get some samples by, hmm, Monday. You'll be getting a call around then." He raised his hand when Makoto opened his mouth. "Don't worry, I'll keep you updated on everything down to what time I sleep, eat, and well, do other humanly things."

Mami laughed, even if she didn't quite understand the last part. Makoto pursed his lips. "The…last part isn't necessary but thank you, Sora-san." He stuck out his hand again. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope to see your works in the future."

Tsuna smiled. "Likewise. Thanks for the best wishes. Good luck to your company."

Makoto returned the gesture more out of politeness than anything else. "Thank you."

Waving, Mami quickly dashed off to her mother's side. Tsuna's smile remained until the small family left the café. At least they took their stuff with them. He slumped back in his booth and shook his barely touched iced coffee, swirling the ice. Well, the gesture was nice he supposed.

"Really?" a voice said behind him. "You look tragic."

Tsuna looked over his shoulder, tilting his head. "Figures. I knew my snake radar was going wild."

M.M scowled. "Are you calling me a snake? Look at you, telling those people that—"

"Carrot Top, I'm not in the mood to play."

Putting her sunglasses back on, M.M huffed before sinking back down in her booth seat. There was some rustling behind Tsuna when M.M suddenly emerged and sat down across from him, plopping her orange Gucci bag beside her. Tsuna quirked a brow. "And where's your invitation?"

M.M crossed her arms over her chest. "Stop acting dumb. I heard everything." She lowered her amber sunglasses, peering at the folder of sketches. Quickly, she looked up to meet Tsuna's gaze. "Look, I know I'm not the nicest person around and what I did to you was really shitty."

Tsuna looked over his fingernails disinterestedly. "Boring. Clock's ticking."

M.M flushed. She huffed irritably, looking away. "Anyways just, you know, I'm…sorry for what I did."

"Hm? For what?"

"For…stuff."

Tsuna's lips slightly twitched. "Stuff as in…?"

M.M sipped her weird green smoothie. "You know, having Lancia…follow your friend."

Tsuna imitated the sound of a buzzer. "The correct word is stalk, Carrot Top."

"Stop calling me that! Ugh! Whatever. I'm also sorry about appearing in your house."

"Breaking in."

M.M turned redder, almost matching the color of her hair. "Also…the background check."

"Invasion of privacy."

M.M slammed her hands on the table, drawing some stares. "Okay, look, I'm sorry for  _all_  those things."

A bout of silence passed. Tsuna propped his chin on his palm. "Is that everything?"

"…Yes."

Humming, Tsuna pushed his iced coffee to the side. "Well, thank you very much for your apology. I'm sure it must've been very difficult. You were really brave." He grinned when M.M visibly relaxed. "That's what you thought I'd say, right?" The model flinched. "Oh come on, Carrot Top. Don't look so sad. You should've expected this because, well, you know everything about me, right?" His grin grew a little wider, making M.M pale. "Is that why you stalked me here?"

"I—I didn't stalk you!" M.M said. "I was already here since 6:30!"

"Mhm, that's what they all say."

"I'm telling you the truth!"

" _Right_."

M.M groaned aggravatingly and sipped her smoothie. "You're impossible."

"Thank you. A compliment a day keeps the wrinkles away."

She slammed her cup back on the table. "I wanted to be nice to you. Your friend even chased me down that day to apologize but clearly this isn't working." Ah, so that was what Haru had done. "You don't respond well to sentiments, do you?"

Tsuna traced the rim of his plastic lid lazily. "I do if they're sincere and from the heart as they say." He glanced at M.M who blushed again. "You, Carrot Top, have no heart." M.M mumbled some French curses under her breath and whew, were they colorful. "Touché, dear."

M.M scowled at him. "Okay then. How about this? I'll expose your existence to the whole world  _and_  to Simon's CEO." She smirked. "Imagine the look on the poor girl's face when she finds out that her precious Sora-nii was just a fraud."

Tsuna returned the gesture. "Oh, spicy. And?"

M.M straightened up. "I don't know if it's pathetic or pitiful how you're always getting the short end of the stick."

Tsuna smiled. "I beg to differ. You know, I'm an adult. I've went through some things, most nicer than others."

M.M flushed at the implications but quickly regained her composure. "I want to be your model for the Ukiyo Boutique Show."

"Oh, not spicy. You know, I never cared about the show."

"And I don't do small events."

"Oh wow, did you want a cookie for that?"

M.M furrowed her brows. "The fact that  _Reborn_  of all people actually brought you in already speaks volumes.  _Everyone_  was talking about you after you left. How do you know Reborn anyways?" She gasped, leaning forward. "Do you know him from Vongola? How did you two meet? Are you friends?"

Tsuna waved her away. "If I hear his name again, I will  _puke_  on you and that's a  _promise_."

M.M pulled a face. "You're disgusting."

Tsuna grinned impishly. "Remember who you're talking to, Carrot Top." He drummed his fingers on the manila folder, which M.M eyed almost greedily. "So if you become a model for the Ukimame or whatever show, you won't tell anyone about me, and if I don't take you, you'll tell everyone my parents' deepest darkest secret."

M.M smirked. "Yes. Choose wisely. Your whole life is on the line."

Tsuna hummed to himself. "But that doesn't really benefit  _me_  in any way. Making someone do something they don't want to do is very, very mean."

"I know a way to even this out so everyone can be happy." M.M fished her phone out of her pocket. "A private one-on-three meeting with the Sugar Angels. 100% guaranteed."

Tsuna chuckled. "Oh,  _very_  spicy. But that doesn't really cover the whole breaking in, invasion of privacy—"

"You can meet my friends so you can let them know how much you hate other people knowing if that makes you feel any better!"

Tsuna tapped his finger against his chin. "Well, that covers the invasion of privacy part. What else? Oh, right. There's just one more thing you'll need to do for me."

M.M huffed. " _What_?"

"Get me an orange mango smoothie and some chocolate cake. I forgot my wallet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanner needs more love. :^)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	8. Chapter 8

" _The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress."_ – Hubert de Givenchy

* * *

Nothing felt better than curling up in your bubble and just letting the days pass by, with nothing holding you down or weighing on your shoulders like some heavy blanket that reeked of shame and self-loathing. Oh, and some daily dose of hot chocolate and Sugar Angels because why the hell not? Nothing was better than having steamy hot cocoa in the hottest week of July anyways.

"Tsuna."

He spoke too soon. Slumping further against the couch and wrapped in a cozy orange blanket, Tsuna hugged his warm mug to his chest and pretended that Haru was just some silly wind. He wished the couch could swallow him whole. Natsu purred beside him, a warm and great comfort for what was to come. Some explosion sound effects came from the TV when Bluebell jumped out of a destroyed building and dove epically into the nearby harbor with a big splash.

"Oh, oh, look!" Tsuna said, ignoring the increasing amount of negative energy behind him. What a party pooper. "This is the best part!"

Three large Gola Moscas leapt out of the debris onto the boardwalk, ignoring the screaming people around them—the show was as PG as it could get, alright?—with some smoke trailing behind their bulky frames. They aimed their metallic hands below the deck before shooting bullets into the water. A brief moment of silence fell as the scene cut to the now calm waters. The Gola Moscas lowered their hands.

Suddenly a loud splash erupted in the air, revealing Bluebell in her ultimate form. Smirking, she raised her palm in the air, her now mermaid-like body glowing blue. Tsuna pumped his fist in the air and spoke alongside her, having memorized every single line of dialogue to heart. "Ha! You thought that could defeat me? Take this! Rain Seash—!"

The TV suddenly shut off. Tsuna blinked, already halfway off the couch with his mug held high in the air. Natsu quickly hopped down on the floor and slinked away, the traitor. "I was watching that," Tsuna said, pouting.

Haru waved the TV cord a little  _too_  aggressively. "Do you know what day it is, Tsuna?"

Tsuna didn't move. "Watching-Sugar-Angels-Season-4-and-Drinking-Hot-Cocoa-Day? By the way, you just unplugged the TV if you didn't know. Kindly plug it back in and carry on."

Haru let out a frustrated cry, making Tsuna falter just a wee tad. "Tsuna, I swear to God and everything holy that I  _will_  chuck your DVDs out the goddamn window  _with_  your stupid collections!"

Oh lord almighty, Tsuna was fucked. He slowly set his mug down on the coffee table, never straying his gaze from Haru's livid face no matter how much he wanted to. Looking away would just make her angrier. Women—what could Tsuna do?

"I'm going to ask you again," Haru said mildly. That was even worse. "What  _day_  is it today?"

Tsuna smiled sweetly and grabbed his phone. "Let me get back to you on that."

There were text messages from Spanner who was watching the episodes with him while working on some photos on the side.

**10:21 PM: the gms r impressive but bbs shells are stronger. prob bad metal and exterior.**

**10:21 PM: sfx is still decent. have u watched project ragnarok? the mechas there r impressive.**

**10:21 PM: btw bbs tail armor isnt practical.**

If Tsuna had to be honest, Spanner was cute with all that geek talk, and all the more endearing fo indulging him.  _Finally_  someone who was on the same wavelength. Biting his lip, Tsuna quickly responded:  _i love it when you talk technical w/me ;) and no i only heard about it. i shall check it out as his majesty decrees._

As soon as Tsuna sent the text, his phone was suddenly swiped from his hands. A small gasp escaped his lips. "Haru, how dare you. My stuff belongs to me and only m—"

Haru narrowed her eyes. " _Tsuna_."

"Sunday, my sweet. It's Sunday. Now will you kindly return my phone to me? I'm in the middle of a very important correspondence."

Haru didn't return the phone. Instead, she glanced at it and raised a brow. "I highly doubt you're having such an important conversation with someone called  _Lollipops_." She then promptly shut off the device and tucked it in her back pocket, ignoring Tsuna's whimper.

"I said the right answer," Tsuna said. "I wouldn't have mixed up Sunday for Wednesday, which I still can't spell by the way."

"Doesn't matter. Did you even  _start_ on your work?"

"I was just about to start Season Five, yes."

"I meant Hotaru-san's commission, which is  _due tomorrow_."

"Oh, that. I was hoping you forgot."

"And how would I forget something so important?"

There was a beat of silence. "Sadly, you're absolutely right." Tsuna slumped back onto the couch, wishing the cushions would devour him right then and there. He'd rather suffocate from dust bunnies than do… _work_. He smiled sweetly. "Let me just finish the season finale and we'll see that work will get done."

Haru wasn't swayed. "It's almost 10:30, Tsuna. It's now"—she stomped over to the windows and pulled back the drapes, revealing the starry sky and the city's soft glows from below—"the  _night_. Therefore, you need to get off your ass right now and make something at least decent for the kid."

Tsuna tightened his blanket around his shoulders and shuffled to the workshop when Haru stood dangerously close to his figurine collection. " _Fine_. It's not even for a fucking gala, but a  _birthday party_. There's an insult in there somewhere."

"I should take that and give you holy water instead," Haru said, although there was a tinge of amusement in her eyes.

Tsuna stuck out his tongue and hugged his mug closer to his chest. "I'll see you in hell."

"Au revoir."

" _Au revoir_ ," Tsuna mimicked mockingly. "I swear, if you weren't so you, I would've kicked you out." He sighed dramatically as he unlocked the door and turned on the lights, cringing from the brightness. He lowered them until they were dimmed just enough for him to work in. "There's no appreciation around here."

"I don't hear any working going on in there!" Haru said from the kitchen.

"Oh, sweet and fair maiden," Tsuna said, leaning on the doorway, "can I at least have my precious phone back? You don't want me to die from boredom before I finish, right? Plus, my notes are in there."

"You don't take notes and you won't die. Just shut up and get to work, Tsuna."

"It's going to be too quiet though!" Tsuna whined, thumping his head against the door. "I promise I won't do anything!"

Haru raised a brow as she brewed some coffee. Tsuna wasn't going to drink it. Hot cocoa was better than that shit anyways. " _Anything_?" she said in a testy tone.

Tsuna deadpanned. "Touché, mon cher."

With that, he slammed the door close and locked it out of pure pettiness. Also, he was going to go on a hunger strike. Haru cared but Tsuna could really care less, and that was how they were perfect for each other.

Alright, that would make better sense if he wasn't so caught up in the rumble of emotions pressuring his chest. Scratching his head, Tsuna dragged a naked mannequin from the corner of the room to stand beside the sketching desk. He stared at it for a moment, already imagining the fabric and dress that would wound around the pale torso against his best efforts. The lull of distant traffic outside sang gently in his ears.

"A birthday party," he muttered under his breath, almost scandalous. "What a world we live in."

His voice echoed in the large space, soft but still managing to tingle his nerves. He wrapped his blanket more securely around him, sipped some cooling hot chocolate, and finally picked up a pencil. Twirling it idly in his hand, he began humming the Sugar Angels' theme song. What should've been a cheerful bop sounded almost mournful in the stifling room.

Tsuna shook his head. "A goddamn birthday party."

His tongue ached for a drink but he ignored it in favor of forcing his hand to glide across the paper and letting the pencil channel his repressed desires.

* * *

His pettiness overrode his reasoning. It wasn't like this was the first all-nighter Tsuna ever pulled and it certainly wouldn't be the last. No matter how much sleep crept in the corners of his mind, Tsuna continued working on the dress until a finished product greeted him at morning light. He wasn't all that satisfied with it to be honest, but he suppressed the itch to re-do it because he could care less about the damn dress. If Makoto thought it was bad enough even for him, that would make one less sorry bloke who'd have his shit stolen, Tsuna thought idly.

It had been strange to see the man again. However, Tsuna wasn't the type to let bygones be bygones. Anything or anyone who hurt the ones he loved were going to get bitten ten times harder than they would ever dream of. With teeth. And possibly fake canines for effect.

"I need orange juice," he groaned, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. "I need hot chocolate. I need sweet Kyoko-chan!" He let out an exasperated noise and fell off his stool. The floor was much nicer for his back than that goddamn chair had been all night. Tsuna stared at the white ceiling, grimacing when a sliver of sunlight reached his face through the thin drapes. It burned feebly but he didn't move. "I need…"

Tsuna sighed, letting the words hang precariously in the air. Rolling over, he peered up at the dress he had slaved over throughout the night. The fact that he even  _finished_  it was a miracle. It wasn't too flashy; it was for a fucking little girls' birthday party, okay? A short tulle dress, it was pure white, a perfect backdrop for the embroidered cherries and brown branches that decorated the bottom of the skirt. They came off elegant but also with an innocent charm befitting a child. And Tsuna was pretty proud about that, alright? It had been awhile since he'd done something so elaborate, even if they were fucking cherries. He was just grateful that he had enough thread.

Flexing his numb fingers, Tsuna sat up and grabbed his blanket. He draped it over his shoulders, yawning, and headed for the door. He almost stepped on a plate of sandwich covered by a plastic wrap and a cup of cold, stale, disgusting coffee. Haru had knocked on his door at some point last night but Tsuna didn't remember or let her in. His food strike was still ongoing. Anything made by the wench would not be touched. He was petty, very petty.

There was no sign of Haru, but there was some leftover fried rice in the frying pan for him. Tsuna, instead, headed for the fridge. He frowned when he saw only a carton of eggs, some bottled water, and milk. When was the last time they went grocery shopping? At the corner of his eye, he saw his cell phone lying innocently on the bar counter with a small note. After settling on making some more hot chocolate—there was one packet left in the pantry, victory!—Tsuna picked up the pink green post-it that had some cute red ribbon on the top. He suddenly thought about Christmas and the tree he took great pride in putting up stashed in the back of his closet.

_Tsuna, don't push yourself too much. Be back at 7 tonight. Movie? I'll get snacks. – Haru_

Tsuna's lips twitched. Haru's apology was always tentative but genuine. He forgave her. Folding the note and tucking it away in his sweatpants, he picked up his cell phone which had a stream of text messages and, oh joy, a missed call from Reborn. Who would've thought? Sitting down on a high stool, Tsuna browsed through the texts and smiled when most of them were from Spanner. They were all running commentary about the episodes Tsuna missed thanks to Haru's tantrum (albeit a tad justified). He glanced at the frying pan before standing and stretching his arms in the air. He sent a quick apology to Spanner for getting caught up on "dire work that had to be dreadfully tended to" with a crying bunny emoticon and didn't bother calling Reborn back. The man would somehow get a hold of him one way or another; Tsuna just had to carry on without getting caught.

Natsu quietly slipped out of his hiding place and looked up at Tsuna with wide, worried eyes. The brunet couldn't help but laugh breathlessly and pick the cat up. "You should've been born a dog," he said, lifting Natsu onto the counter. "That way, you could've stuck by my side come hell or high waters. What do cats know anyways?" The jab was half-assed at best and desperate at worst. Natsu licked Tsuna's hand in apology, making him smile. "You traitor."

Natsu just meowed in response. All was forgiven.

* * *

Going out into the world was exhausting and a chore for someone as passive as Tsuna. Passive, not lazy, as he would like to say whenever Haru caught him up in a lecture. He'd rather stay in one place and only do something that required minimal effort, both physically and mentally. On some occasions, he would admit that he'd rather be born as a fish than a human being. Swimming peacefully in a small tank with limited mobility and locations was right up in his alley. His father would've agreed, too.

So, when M.M sent him a text that her friends were willing to meet with him about their absolutely illegal info-gathering, Tsuna waited 15 minutes or so to respond, and respond he did:  _k._

Whistling the tune to an upbeat Sugar Angels' OST " _Fire Up!"_ , Tsuna was in no rush shifting through his sparse wardrobe. Natsu hopped onto his messy bed and stretched his lithe body out, purring contentedly. A small ding came from his phone, lighting up with a notification, but Tsuna ignored it. He didn't end up changing into a new pair of clothes, finding everything tedious. Really, it was to stall. Everything was meant to stall.

He just grabbed some socks, slipped on his comfy black Adidas slippers, made sure his sunglasses were right where he wanted them to be, and left with a kiss on Natsu's head. When the elevator dinged at the lobby floor, Tsuna walked out with casual confidence. He stopped by the front desk and rapped his knuckles lightly on the marble counter to catch Shirasu's attention. The man immediately straightened up and smiled when he saw Tsuna. "Kato-san! Going out?"

"Where else?" Tsuna said, smiling pleasantly in return. "I'm a bit offended though, Shira-kun. What could demand your attention more than me at this moment?"

Tomoko tried hard not to meet Tsuna's gaze, but her lips twitched in an effort to suppress a smile. Tsuna grinned, showing some teeth. "Why, Koizumi-san, you look lovelier with a smile, you know? It's best not to keep that hidden, especially in a place of well-meaning patrons."

The blush on the woman's cheeks reddened further, reminding Tsuna of cherries for some reason. Ah, that wasn't good. What other delusions of food would his sadistic mind conjure? This wasn't the first time it happened and it wouldn't be the last, Tsuna mused.

"So, what was Shira-kun up to?" he said, ignoring Shirasu's embarrassed sputters.

Wide-eyed, Tomoko looked back and forth between the men before settling on the lesser of two evils. "Shirasu-san was just browsing through a magazine before you arrived, Sato-san," she said slowly, then closed her eyes as if bracing herself.

Tsuna hummed to himself. "A magazine," he said. "I'm even more offended."

Shirasu laughed loudly in an awkward fashion. "T—There's nothing to worry about, Sato-san! I think you're more attractive than most of these men here!"

"Most?"

"All. I meant, all."

Tsuna smiled. "Thought so. But still, what could  _possibly_  have captured your attention so, Shira-kun? Let's have a look-see." He reached out his hand, silently asking for the magazine the secretary was snooping through.

With crestfallen eyes, Shirasu handed it over without hesitation. "I did mean it, Sato-san," he said, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Oh, I believe you," Tsuna said, flipping through the smooth silky pages. He caught a whiff of sweet perfume as he perused the pictures. The magazine was high-end,  _Murasaki,_ with high-end models. Since it was the summer, they were all dressed in the appropriate fashion, long-legged, smooth skin, and suave as they came.

"And I agree with you 200%." Tsuna smiled. "So which one took your fancy, Shira-kun? Perhaps this one?" He stopped at a page that featured a full-body shot of Bianchi walking along the wide open streets of Italy, dressed in a short-sleeved red blouse tucked in black shorts that had a white belt and some black sandal pumps. "She's a little cold, isn't she? Too uptight, needs a chill pill. Maybe…this one?" He flipped to another page that showed M.M standing in front of a white building and on top of sierra-colored tiled floors, wearing a white shirt underneath a loose tan mini-dress of sorts that almost resembled overalls and some open-toed white heels. A beige handbag was draped over her arm as she looked sensually into the camera. "A little too snooty, right? Maybe not."

Shirasu sputtered out some unintelligible words before Tomoko, with good intentions, said, "Shirasu-san was admiring Bianchi, Kato-san."

"Oh, so you like the cougars?" Tsuna said, nodding in feigned seriousness. "No judgement. I know it's a hard time and all but do be careful, Shira-kun. Some cougars  _bite_." He turned to Tomoko who tensed. "And who do you fancy, Koizumi-san? Please refrain from saying that devil's name from yesterday because he simply doesn't exist and will never be good enough for you."

Tomoko blushed before looking down at her hands. She mumbled something under her breath, making Shirasu cough lightly into his fist.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Tsuna said, unapologetic in the slightest. "I didn't catch that."

"X—Xanxus," Tomoko said, her face turning red like a tomato. Were tomatoes fruits or vegetables, Tsuna wondered. "I like Xanxus…"

Tsuna grinned. "The bad boys, I see. My, my, both of you seem to have such  _dangerous_  tastes. It's always the nice ones, isn't it? I'm sure there's some trashy magazine out there talking about the shoddy psychology behind why we're attracted to the broody ones."

"And what about you, Sato-san?" Tomoko said before she could stop herself. She winced slightly as if realizing her mistake, but Tsuna appreciated her bout of bravery. "Do you have anyone you like?"

Tsuna tapped his chin in mock-thought. "Ah, yes. Yes, I do. She's petite, quite nice, very nice actually. Always a good shoulder to lean on, very pretty. Sweet and practically the most perfect girl in the world."

Shirasu and Tomoko seemed to relax at that, like it was the small dose of normalcy they needed to reassure themselves that Tsuna wasn't all that  _insane_. It amused the brunet so. "She sounds like a wonderful person," Tomoko said warmly, almost losing herself into some whimsical romantic fantasy.

Tsuna nodded. "Yup, she is. She's even more wonderful when fighting giant mecha robots and using the powers of the sun in her cute wand to destroy monsters, too." The looks on the secretaries' faces were priceless. He snapped his fingers. "Ah, right. Let me borrow that there." He didn't wait for their response as he reached for the building's business card and a pen. He scribbled some names down. "Remember that list I told you about, Shira-kun? The 'nobody will step foot in a 300-mile radius' or so? These are the first honorary members. I'd also like it if you'd keep their little visits under wraps, hm? It won't be good press."

He handed Shirasu the card when a thought struck him after he skimmed the very short list again. A giggle bubbled in his throat until he fell over into full-blown laughter. The secretaries gaped at him, equally horrified and worried. "Sorry, sorry," Tsuna said, wiping the tears from his eyes and putting his sunglasses back on. "I just realized something. Carry on and have a marvelous day, Shira-kun, Koizumi-san."

He didn't wait for them to respond and simply left as if nothing happened. The doors slid open before he stepped out into the unbearable summer heat. He hummed " _Fire Up!"_  under his breath when he walked towards his car. Putting the AC on full-blast, Tsuna fished his phone out of his pockets and promptly switched "Sunshine Devil" to "Curly Fries".

Ah, what a time to be alive.

* * *

Tsuna didn't bother to look around when he entered one of the top luxury hotels in Tokyo, though the AC was much-appreciated. The opulence would've blinded him, even if he was wearing sunglasses, and he wasn't fond of seeing food in place of nice sofas and tables. Ignoring the odd locks from tourists, residents, and workers, Tsuna plopped down on a table in the hotel's café and sent M.M a text. He crossed his legs casually, resting his ankle on his thigh, and perused the menu overhead the sleek oak counter where baristas bustled about with customers' orders and brewed coffee underneath a golden chandelier.

M.M appeared a few minutes later, stepping out of the elevators with an impressive disguise: a long black wig, sunglasses, and a mask clashing with her short yellow dress that was, at least, casual. Tsuna snorted when she approached him. "Hello, Agent Obvious," he said, leaning back against the chair. "Might as well paint yourself red and green while you're at it."

Crossing her arms over her chest, the model huffed, the indignant breath muted by her mask. "You said that you wanted me to meet you here."

"It was the other way around, sweetheart." Tsuna turned back to the menu. "But what impeccable timing as always. How's the Black Raspberry-Vanilla smoothie here?  _Oh_ , or the Mango-Acai? Isn't there anything here for a simple pleb like me?"

"Why complain,  _Your Majesty_ ," M.M said dryly.

Tsuna grinned. "You're absolutely right. I'll take two."

"I'm not buying them for you. Where's your wallet this time?"

"Is that an invitation to dress you up as a popsicle? Challenge eagerly accepted."

M.M threw her hands in the air with an annoyed grunt. " _Fine_. Wait here." Tsuna could sense her scowl underneath the extreme get-up. "Don't you have anything else to wear?"

"Being comfortable in your skin is the absolute number one rule in getting through life, sweetheart." Tsuna smiled pleasantly. "Sticks and stones may break my pretty white bones, but words will never hurt me. Run along now. I'll be waiting."

M.M didn't bother him with a response other than another exasperated sigh. She walked past him, her floral perfume tickling his nose delicately, and ordered the smoothies. Although bratty as she was, she didn't look back once to give Tsuna any more satisfaction than he needed, but it just amused him even more.

* * *

The Mango-Acai was already halfway finished by the time they reached the 23rd floor where the suites were. M.M kept some distance from Tsuna, and he could feel her eyes on him while he slurped the smoothie dry. It wasn't bad, a nice blend of sweetness and tanginess. "I'll pay you back," he said cheerily as they stepped out of the large elevator. The soft jazz from inside faded when the doors closed behind them.

"Whatever," M.M said. "I expect good results while we…work together."

Tsuna smiled at the brief hesitation. "Work together? That's nice phrase, isn't it? Camaraderie, friendship, teamwork—who doesn't like teamwork?"

"What are you—Never mind. Forget it." M.M quickened her pace before stopping in front of a door and scanning her keycard, creating a small trill. "Get in."

Tsuna glided past her without missing a beat, but his lips twitched into a small smile anyways. "No problem. This is quite a cozy kidnapping. I applaud you."

M.M sputtered indignantly behind him. "This isn't—You're—I—Ugh!"

Tsuna nodded solemnly. "I sometimes render myself speechless, too. It happens, Carrot Top."

He looked around the large suite, which was furnished with brown leather sofas, white chandeliers, a flat-screen TV, expensive oak tables, and an impressive view over the city from large windows. It was neat until he saw the slew of empty soda bottles, beer and bags of chips on the brown carpets leading to the dining table in an otherwise unused kitchen. And at the table were two out-of-place young men. If Tsuna was surprised at the duo being M.M's so-called friends, he didn't show it (more like he had no energy to feel much of anything at this point because sleep-deprivation wasn't a nice friend and he wanted to get this over with).

"Excuse the intrusion," Tsuna said, plopping down at the table like he belonged there. "You must be M.M's merry band of minions. I'm sure you're both well-acquainted with who I am but let me return that pleasure. You are…?"

The two men stared at him for a moment, one showing just a sliver of surprise in his normally blank purple eyes and the other unable to disguise his skepticism.

"This the guy?" the blond said, his lips curled up in a clear sneer. He wore a sleeveless green hoodie and sweatpants. "You sure he ain't like, a poser or something?"

Tsuna's eyes lingered fleetingly on the large scar over the other's nose, stretching from cheek-to-cheek; it added a nice feral touch to his rough image rather than detracting it. Then again, there were models who were still in the spotlight despite their "physical defects" as the critics would say: Xanxus, Lal Mirch, Chrome, and so on. Tsuna simply thought every imperfection was just another perfection on a person's visage, but no one paid for his thoughts, did they?

"I apologize for his behavior, Sawada-san," the other man said, taking off his large headphones and draping them over his neck. With a white beanie, he sported a black-and-white cashmere sweater over a graphic T-shirt and some jeans. The suite was a bit colder than the hotel lobby.

There was a curious barcode tattoo on his left cheek and Tsuna wondered about the story behind it. Instead of asking, he sipped the last of his Mango-Acai, unashamed with the shrill noise he made sucking on air. The blond grimaced but worked on chewing on a stick of peppermint gum.

"I'm Kakimota Chikusa and he's Joshima Ken."

Ken scowled at the other man. "Why the hell would you give him our names like that?"

Chikusa didn't bother him with a reply, which seemed normal between them. Tsuna's lips twitched upwards. "It's only common courtesy, something that you might not understand, Joshima Ken-san." He took big satisfaction in seeing Ken flinch.

M.M appeared from the bedroom, having removed her disguise, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She looked between the three men suspiciously as she twisted the cap open. "You idiots better not be screwing this up," she said.

Ken blinked before his face morphed into a scowl. "You're the one who told us to search for a fucking ghost."

Tsuna's smile didn't reach his eyes, though even with the sunglasses on to hide his eyes from view, the odd trio still watched him warily. "The reason ghosts exist in the first place is because they're dead, and I would've preferred to stay that way if Carrot Top here hadn't stuck her nose where it didn't belong."

Ken wrinkled his nose, but his grin betrayed him. "Carrot Top?"

M.M narrowed her eyes. "Don't even  _try_."

"I'm not finished," Tsuna said a little too cheerfully. Chikusa didn't stray his gaze from him, a little bolder and more sensible than the other two, observing him as a prey would an unexpected predator. "Since there was a little bump on our little roads—completely separate by the way; you have your own car and I have mine—we're going to have to fix it, right?"

"We get it," Ken said, leaning back on his chair and chewing his gum noisily more out of restlessness than on being rude. "We won't tell anyone, geez."

Tsuna made an effort of looking him up and down slowly. "Yes, as if there's anyone you can tell it, I'm sure."

Ken glared at him, and Tsuna realized how fun it was to get a reaction out of him. He wondered if the other two thought the same. "The hell does that mean?"

"I'm speaking Japanese, aren't I?" Tsuna said, sipping his smoothie. "Please, settle on the same wavelength and ride the waves, dear."

Ken flushed. "W—What did you just call me? Are you a fa—"

Chikusa none-too-subtly kicked Ken's leg under the table, making the blond yelp, but Tsuna took it all in stride. "A fabulous human being?" he said, showing some teeth. Ken shifted in his seat, his eyes flickering down to his bag of chips. "Well, I wouldn't go that far but I'm glad that you can pick out the gem out of the shams. I'm flattered. Now, moving on to the more  _adult_  things, we're going to have to go over damage-control."

"I told them already," M.M said, trying to save some face. She shrunk when Tsuna turned his head towards her, though his eyes remained on Chikusa's black laptop behind his sunglasses. "They—They're idiots but they're not  _that_  stupid."

Ken scowled at her. "The hell is that supposed to mean?" He rocked his chair back and forth aggressively, the motion soundless on the tiled floors. Tsuna wondered how long it'd take for him to fall over. "Well, you're fucking welcome, bitch. We got what you wanted and look where that got us. I told you, Kakipi, I fucking  _told_  you we shouldn't have listened to her. Now we got this—this"—Ken waved his hand shamelessly at Tsuna—" _guy_  here for what the bitch  _told_  us to do."

"Ken," Chikusa said, but it was useless. Ken was already lost to his anger and it'd take a while for him to get out.

Passionate, Tsuna thought idly while Ken continued ranting at M.M, who didn't take it without screaming back, too.

"Well,  _you're_  welcome for paying your rent, dumbass!" M.M said, her purple eyes looking venomous. "How many times was it already? 10? 15? Is it my fault for asking something you and Chikusa can actually  _do_? That's what a favor is, you stupid jackass!"

"You said he'd never know!" Ken said, narrowing his eyes and baring his teeth, which almost looked like canines. "And you fucked that up, too!"

Chikusa sighed quietly under his breath, the only break from his stony façade, and typed something in his laptop. His fingers were nimble across the keys, comfortable and almost elegant. He fixed his glasses momentarily before addressing Tsuna, "Your information has been deleted from our history. You can continue being a ghost again. I apologize for their behavior."

Tsuna shook his head as he slipped off his sunglasses and dangled them precariously from his fingertips. He pointed one of the ends at Chikusa. "Oh no, no, no, Kakipi-kun. That's not how this works." Chikusa's brow slightly twitched at the nickname but he remained quiet. "You see, I came here to lay out some groundwork for the three of you. Don't you feel honored that I came personally to see to it? I bet you all do." Tsuna pointed his sunglasses at M.M, making her flinch. "I went over the basics with Carrot Top here, but I'm going to make sure that it's  _hammered in right_. Any objections?" Tsuna smiled, his eyes glinting under the lights. He didn't wait for anyone to respond. "Wonderful."

He took his time sipping his smoothie, letting the cool drink give him some boost of energy. The trio of dumb, dumber, and dumbest watched him with bated breath; the air thrummed with trepidation that seemed to seep from their pores.

"You all have information that should've been 20 feet in the dirt," Tsuna finally said after a moment of feigning deliberation. "I won't ask you how you managed to find them but I will ask that you erase any possible evidence that they exist. You can do that, can you?" The question was directed at Chikusa, the more rational one, and he got a small nod in response. "Fan _tastic_. Now, you and you, Lemon Lenny and Carrot Top, I—"

"What the hell did you just call me?" Ken said, slamming his fist on the table. He froze when Tsuna turned his eyes on him, pinning him to the spot. Without the sunglasses, Tsuna looked more bare, open, but all the more vicious in a terrifyingly pleasant way that always worked best on everyone despite the dark circles under his eyes.

"—would appreciate it if neither of you opened your mouths to anyone about what you know," Tsuna continued without a hitch. "To you and everyone else, I'm Kato Tsunayoshi. I never discriminate, you see. Man's equality and all that. Oh, don't get your panties in a twist, Carrot Top. It's not my fault human is human and not hu-woman. Semantics aside, I'm being very serious here. One peep out of any you and you know what'll happen." Tsuna's smile took on a nastier turn, making the temperature drop several degrees. "I've always wanted  _ghost_  minions."

The threat wasn't lost to the trio. All three of them nodded. Tsuna smiled sunnily as he slipped his sunglasses back on. "Great, lovely chat. That's all for today. Thank you for listening to my TED Talk. Until next time then."

M.M walked him to the door but didn't linger long enough to watch him leave for the elevators. As usual, Tsuna just let the skittish attitude slide off him like water on wood and made his way out the hotel to his car without a hitch.

* * *

After sending pictures of the sample dress to Hotaru and taking a long shower, Tsuna made himself comfortable on Haru's lap while stuffing his mouth with rice crackers. He turned his head to the TV screen, which showed some action movie he forgot the name of. Guns and explosions created a cacophonous symphony in a scene. Tsuna just stared at it in boredom while the actors did some impossible maneuver on the highway with their stolen cars.

"I thought this was"—he cleared his throat, pitching his voice higher to mimic Haru crudely—"the most popular action movie last year. Really, I read it and it had good reviews."

Haru snorted and held the bag of crackers above her head to make sure Tsuna didn't take anymore. "It's not my fault nothing pleases you."

Tsuna smiled languidly, lacing his fingers daintily over his stomach. "No, of course not. E for effort though."

"You're impossible."

"And you're lovely."

They settled into comfortable silence after that, minus the yelling and screeching tires from the screen. At least, the actors were hot. Tsuna's phone buzzed in his pocket with a text from Spanner:  **its fine. did u see the news about season 6?**

Tsuna's fingers flew across the keyboard, making small clacking sounds:  _season what now?_

**sugar angels might get another season.**

Before Tsuna could respond to  _that_  gem, a series of beeps came from the door before it opened. Haru squeaked indignantly, almost dropping the bag of snacks over Tsuna's face.

"I meant to change that," he said dryly, referring to the keycode. He didn't get up to see who it was. There was only one other person who managed to get through last time and M.M frankly didn't have the balls to do it again (literally and figuratively).

"You ignored my call this morning," Reborn's voice floated through the living room. Haru had muted the TV when the man had entered.

"What a surprise." Tsuna reached for the remote to unmute the TV until a large hand gripped his write. He looked up then, catching a whiff of some expensive cologne. Reborn stood over him, a tall, looming shadow, and his eyes seemed darker under the brim of his famous fedora. He wore a sleek black pinstriped suit that hugged his body nicely and a goldenrod tie. "Sorry but this isn't the party venue and you're very much not invited to this one."

"Get up," Reborn said, ignoring Tsuna's jabs.

The brunet shook his hand from Reborn's grip but the man didn't let go. "I really don't want to see you in court but it's becoming more likely."

"Is there something you need, Reborn-san?" Haru said tentatively, her hand drifting to Tsuna's shoulder as a comfort. She deserved the moon and the stars, truly. Probably the world.

Reborn glanced at her and his lips curled elegantly into the perfect smile befitting a serpent. "Yes, I need Tsuna to come with me." He looked down at Tsuna again, his dark eyes gleaming. "As my shield, if you don't mind."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I wrote Chikusa and Ken accurately—it's been a while so I tried to give them as much character from what I remember—but I hope they're okay, lol.
> 
> Murasaki isn't a real fashion magazine (from what I've researched anyways) and it means "purple" in Japanese.
> 
> Reborn wasn't supposed to appear but alas, here he is.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


End file.
